Gratia Plena
by Principessa Dell'Opera
Summary: When Dani's estranged father whisks her away from impoverished Mexico to glittering Japan, she finds a whole other world waiting. But when she's cruelly beaten by jealous classmates at Lobelia, a risky scheme may keep her safe. MorixOC. Summary inside.
1. Prologue: Hell of Lobelia

**Summary: When Dani's estranged father whisks her away from impoverished Mexico City Mexico to glittering Tokyo Japan, she finds a whole other world awaiting her. However when she's cruelly beaten by jealous classmates from St. Lobelia's School for Girls, her father decides the only way she'll be safe is if she is hidden in plain sight. But when you're a remarkably talented and good-looking "boy" at Ouran Academy, nothing goes as planned, especially when a certain club decides that you're their newest friend. MorixOC. Lots of shenanigans and friendship.**

**I, sadly, do not own Ouran. If I did, Dani would be real.**

Prologue:

Hell of Lobelia

_Or_

Se Vuol Ballare, Signore Contino

I'm a little afraid Dad will blow a gasket and say something he's going to regret. As it is, the chairman doesn't look too pleased to see Dad nearly purple with anger and in his face, accusing one of his star students of bullying, stalking, harassment, and abuse. I'm just sitting quietly, hoping that it's over soon. I want to go back home and ice my head.

"How can you deny the evidence before you!" Dad demands, gesturing towards me and slamming a fist on the desk. I wince. The chairman inspects me passively through his glasses. I don't see how he can still deny it, but apparently he is. My arm has a heavy deep-bone bruise and is in a sling, I have a large bruise on my cheekbone, stitches in the back of my head (where large chunks of what was once long, beautiful chestnut hair, my one and only vanity, have been shaved off) and across my hairline and on my forehead. There is a brace on my knee and gauze wrapping my wrist which throbs, but doesn't seem to have anything wrong with it other than being stretched too far. I look like I have just come back from war.

"_Oh, lovely maiden, you must be lost. Let Benibara assist such a delicate flower," a voice behind me said, making me jump. I instinctively drew my fist back, ready for a punch. But when I saw it was another girl, seemingly harmless, I stopped, and lowered my arm._

_ "Oh, okay then. Thanks," I said, relieved, but weirded out. _She's a little intimidating. And where did she learn to speak so?_ I was thinking._

"_I am Benio Amakusa, Lady of the Red Rose. And it is my honor to meet such a wonderful and beautiful new student. Don't be afraid, I'm sure that the Zuka club will make you feel quite at home," Benio murmured seductively, and kissed my hand. I immediately let go._

_ "_Dios mio_," I whispered in Spanish, while trying to discreetly wipe my hand on my skirt._

"Impossible. It's absolutely impossible," the chairman scoffs. Dad looks as if he's going to strangle him. I put my hand on his shoulder, just in case. Not that I'll be able to do anything. What would I—a slim seventeen-year-old girl—do to prevent my father (who is six foot, strong, and built) from beating this man to a pulp?

"She has no cause to lie! How else did she get hurt like this?" Dad roars. The chairman shrugs nonchalantly.

"She may have been the bully and is now looking for sympathy," he replied. My mouth drops open.

"_Excuse me_!" Dad says in a low, dangerous voice. I hear thunder rumbling threateningly outside. "Are you implying that my daughter takes part in ridiculing and hurting other people out of pure spite!"

"It is possible."

"I demand a full refund of the tuition I paid, including books, uniforms, and any other expenses," Dad says, the tone in his voice final.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that, Mr. Oelrichs. She has already started classes here," the chairman scoffs. Dad's eyes narrow.

"Danica Elizabeth, go wait outside," he growls. I obey without hesitation. Whenever he or my mother called me by my full first and middle names, I know that either I or someone else is in deep trouble.

Once outside the office, I take a seat in one of the expensive plush chairs, pulling a ski hat over my head so no one would see what happened to my hair. I hear Dad screaming at the chairman who begins protesting.

I just stare at my hands, hoping that this ordeal would be over and I'd never have to return to this hellhole again.

My name is Danica Peretti-Oelrichs, or just Dani, and until just a few minutes ago, I was enrolled at St. Lobelia's School for Girls. A few months ago I was living in Mexico City with my mother, and then all of a sudden, my father appeared out of nowhere to sweep me away with him to Japan. I won't pretend it wasn't a culture shock. Learning a language so different from the English, Spanish, and Italian I already knew was hard enough, but Dad gave me a choice. Stay in Mexico City with my mother, his ex-wife he was forced to divorce, and maybe never amount to much, or go with him to Japan. Dad is exceedingly wealthy. His family is one of the oldest, most well-known in the United States of America. He is so rich that he could afford to start a branch of his company out here in Japan. So rich, in fact, that he could track down his forgotten daughter and take her to Japan with him, enrolling her into an elite school that turned out some of Japan's—not to mention the world's—greatest businessmen and leaders.

There really didn't seem to be much of a choice. I could languish forever in Mexico where the drug wars were escalating, maybe even end up like my own mother, or I could try to do something with my life and go with my father whom I had never met before to a different country with different customs, different language, different everything. Dad left his second wife and two other, recognized children in America; they'd be joining him much later. His wife wanted his son to finish American middle school before moving. Better for me I suppose. I wouldn't have to deal with jealous half-siblings.

Dad immediately enrolled me into St. Lobelia's and for about a month and a half, everything seemed to be going alright.

_"Ah! Another lovely flower, waiting to blossom has come for a chance!" Benio's voice echoed as I entered Zuka Club auditions. What seemed like the entire school turned simultaneously in their seats, staring at me. I gulped, and drained of color._

_ "Come! Do not be shy! You have talent, and wish to share it! And who knows, you might even be rewarded for your efforts," Benio pulled me against her chest, tilting me head up, making the fangirls go ballistic._

_ "Where did you come from? And why are you flirting with me?" I asked, confused to the next degree. Benio's face seemed to cloud over with anger, but it was gone so fast, I thought I may have imagined it._

_ "Come, my beautiful flower, show us what talent you have," and Benio shoved me up on the stage._

_ I stood, staring blankly. The sea of faces stared blankly back at me._

_ "Um, may I have a piano?" I asked in a small voice. A grand piano was immediately pulled onstage for me._

_ I sat down on the bench, rather nervous, but once my fingers touched the keys, the people seemed to melt away, and I was home again in Mexico, playing piano while my mother listened intently._

_ I began to sing, and while I did, I was remembering the harmonies that my mother created on the spot with her own voice. My voice rose and fell, and when I hit a note much higher than even Benio dared to go, whispers broke out. Then I finished singing, and stood. It was silent. Then the screaming fangirls mobbed the stage._

I was never sure if they liked me because I was different, or because I was talented. With fangirls, you could never know. But I became an instant celebrity, and soon the entire student mass was following me faithfully. Even Benio's most avid fangirls abandoned her to just be smiled at by me.

The instant fame was unnerving, I'll admit. I'd hoped to make friends, not worshippers. Everyone was obsessed with who they thought I was as a celebrity, not who I am as a person. It got really lonely at school, and Dad noticed.

It didn't get bad until Benio began to stalk me.

_"Oh, maiden, at last I have found thee!" Benio announced as she burst into the bathroom where I was. I looked up completely shocked._

_ "Huh?"_

_ "Your performances! Your beauty! Your air of confidence! Your American-ness!" Benio continued to gush. I looked around, searching for the person Benio was talking to. There was no one else there._

_ "Are you talking to me?" I asked, a confused frown on my face. Suddenly I was shoved against the wall, pinned by Benio's strong grip._

_ "Yes, I'm talking to you, you little wretch," she growled in my face. I was surprised, but not afraid. _I grew up in the _barrios_ of Mexico City, I can take damn good care of myself. So I'd like to see you try_, I found myself thinking._

_ "And if you liked me so much, why are you threatening me?" I asked rather saucily. Benio slapped my face, hard._

_ "Listen well, you American dog. I'm the celebrity around here, and no American that can't even speak Japanese is taking that from me!" Benio whispered threateningly. I swiped her feet out from under her. Benio went down hard, and I stepped over her, fleeing the bathroom without a second glance._

That was around the end of May, a month after my seventeenth birthday, and I didn't have to encounter her much again. I took exams, was pronounced fluent in Japanese, and began looking at what courses I'd take the next semester.

It's almost the end of June now, and in a few days Lobelia's will let out for a month and a half of summer break. I would be excited if I had anyone to be excited about it with.

Dad opens the door and beckons for me to come back in again. Apprehensively, I stand and enter the office again, sitting next to my father.

Dad takes a deep breath and tells me in a measured voice, "The chairman would like to know exactly what happened."

_I was waiting for my father's chauffeur to pick me up after school was out, and I had a bad feeling, a sense of foreboding if you will. Benio and the other two Zuka Club girls walked passed me, chuckling. Benio stopped, and leaned over to whisper in my ear._

_ "Come with us, fair maiden," she said seductively. I was wary, but stupidly followed._

_ Behind the gymnasium, Benio slammed me hard against the side of the brick building. Shocked, I fell to the ground, clutching the back of my head, where I felt warm, sticky blood gushing. I struggled to remain conscious._

_ But the onslaught only got worse. Feet and fists contacted everywhere they could reach, and then two people, Hinako and Chizuru, stopped hitting to pull Benio off of the barely conscious me._

"_If you even think about telling anyone, I'll make it so none of your family will ever be able to sing again," Benio threatened. Then everything went black._

"Can you identify the girls you're accusing?" the chairman asks rather uncomfortably. I nod.

"Benio Amakusa, Chizuru Maihara, Hinako Tsuwabuki," I answer firmly. He looks uncomfortable and starts muttering about model students, star pupils, and more _cacas_. Dad stands suddenly.

"Either I get a full and entire refund with interest, or I will sue this school, you the chairman, and the students responsible. I can make several lawsuits, and you won't have two yen to your name or this school when I'm through," he threatens. Even though he's an American, Dad has so much money and social standing that he wouldn't have a problem following through. The name "Oelrichs" is very old; the family wealth runs back at least two hundred years. Dad is old money, and makes plenty of the new money too. The chairman drains of color.

"You're refund will be completed within the week, sir," he says meekly. Dad smirks.

"Good." And he marches me out of the room.

In the limo, Dad is looking pensive. "What are you thinking about, Dad?" I ask him. He looks at me slowly, as if coming out of a reverie.

"How to keep this from happening again. St. Lobelia is a reputable school, closely tied with many of the other elite schools I'd consider sending you to."

"Like which ones?"

"Tokyo School for the Gifted, Ouran Academy, Performing Arts Institute, Ohyama High School, Blessed Mother Teresa School for Girls…"

"A Catholic School? In Japan?"

"Believe it or not. Perhaps I should send you to Ouran. It's closer to home, about five blocks. And it's co-ed with a middle and elementary school attached. Perhaps I'll look into that one."

We fall into silence for the rest of the drive.

I can only hope that the Lobelia girls won't be able to track me down wherever I am.

**Hi there!**

**This fic has been in the works for about two years, and finally I think it's ready to be posted. I love Ouran, but I am very wary of OCs, only because sometimes they can be a bit more difficult to develop. But that's what my fic **_**Zelda Enchanted**_** is for, basically.**

**(If any of my readers for **_**Zelda Enchanted**_** are reading this I PROMISE I WILL UPDATE IT! IT'S JUST VERY DIFFICULT!)**

**Anyway, this is the first installment of the Oelrichs Trilogy as my wonderful sister ****Selestyna Arpa364**** calls it. After watching her slave over her story **_**Short**_**, I had to come back and work on Dani. And here she is.**

_**Gratia Plena **_**is Latin for "full of grace". You guys can speculate about that as much as you want. I'll tell you why it's named **_**Gratia Plena **_**at the end of the epilogue.**

**And one more thing, you'll notice there is a second title underneath the chapter titles which seems to be in a different language. It's a song, in this chapter's case, an aria from my favorite opera of all time, **_**Le Nozze di Figaro**_**. Listen to it and look up the translation and apply it to the chapter. I love analytical references. Listen to it while you read, it sets the mood.**

**Thank you for reading, and I hope you'll leave a review! Reviews make an author happy and more likely to update faster. :D True story.**

**Until next time, my friends!**

**~La Principessa Dell'Opera**


	2. Chapter 1: Precautionary Actions

**I do not own Ouran. Or Rosecliffe. I wish. I just own Dani and her dad.**

Chapter One:

Precautionary Actions

_Or_

O Mio Babbino Caro

"After much deliberation, Dani, I've decided to enroll you at Ouran Academy. Your transcripts have already been sent over, and since they have only two weeks until their break in which they're doing their exams, you won't be going there until the fall," Dani's father was saying. Dani turned to look at him interestedly, a hand on the back of her head, feeling where the stitches had been. She was mostly healed; the stitches across her forehead and the back of her head were just taken out. She had a morbid fascination with the scars, large, red, and ropy. She had a large vial of Vitamin E waiting for her at home.

"So I have a two-month vacation! _Molto bene_!" Dani grinned. She was a very pretty girl, with a slender figure, delicate bone structure, a girlish face, and bright green eyes. She had been exceptionally proud of her long, light brown hair, but it had been shaved off. She refused to leave the house unless she did something about hiding the fact that her hair had been cut off.

"Unfortunately, Dani, St. Lobelia has strong ties with the schools here, including Ouran, but the chairman promised to find a way to keep you safe," Richard Oelrichs went on. Dani raised an eyebrow, and then scoffed good-naturedly.

"Dad, I think you're blowing this out of proportion," she pointed out, looking back out the window of the limo.

"Dani, I will not let this ever happen again. I will ensure every possible way to keep you safe," he vowed.

"Dad, now you're being a dramatic, like the _telenovelas _Nonna likes to watch."

"I just want to make sure my little girl is going to be alright," Oelrichs said, patting her hand. Dani gave a small smile.

They pulled up to the mansion, and went inside. "The chairman of Ouran will be here in about an hour, Dani. Make sure you're here to greet him and dressed decently," Oelrichs said, looking pointedly at Dani's worn flip-flops and over-large T-shirt that said _Tijuana_ on it. Dani sighed good-naturedly, and went up the large marble staircase to go change.

In half an hour, she was down again, dressed a lot more girly in a white, eyelet-lace dress with silk ribbons as the sash and straps. Her hair was pinned in a complicated manner to hide the fact that most of it was gone.

Since her father was working in his study, she went into the music room he made for her, sat at the piano, and began playing scales, four per key. She moved on to arpeggios, chromatic scales, and then began a Mozart piece. Halfway through it, Takeno, the head housekeeper knocked and poked her head in.

"Pardon me, Miss Danica, but your father requests your presence in the parlor," Takeno said. Dani obliged, and upon entering the room, was introduced to one Yuzuru Suoh.

"You were right, Oelrichs, she is a beautiful child," Suoh said, staring at her in a vaguely curious manner. Dani blushed. Despite her beauty, her blush did nothing to improve her looks. It was a rather unsightly scarlet flush that spread from her ears to her entire face. Suoh gestured for her to sit next to him on the sofa. She perched on the edge of the seat, back ramrod straight, hands clasped tightly in her lap, and legs crossed gracefully at the ankles.

"_Piacere_, _Señor_ Suoh," Dani said rather shyly, confusing her Italian and Spanish.

"Dani, we have gone through numerous solutions, and come to one conclusion," Oelrichs began. Suoh nodded, looking away from Dani as if embarrassed by his decision.

"What would that be, Dad?" Dani asked, her heart pounding in anticipation.

"We've decided to disguise you," Suoh said, still refusing to look at Dani. Dani fought the urge to laugh uncontrollably.

"How do you suggest I do that?" Dani asked, a smile threatening to break through her solemn demeanor.

Oelrichs snapped his fingers, and three people entered the room. He pointed at Dani, and they seized her, despite her protests, and whisked her away.

"I don't know if this is going to work, Oelrichs. She's very womanly," Suoh said concernedly.

"It has to work. I'm looking for drastic measures here, Suoh," Oelrichs responded. They sat back and waited for Dani's reentrance.

A tall, bald man forced Dani into a chair and put a hairdresser's bib around her. He undid her elaborate hairstyle, and went to work. Dani grudgingly began to sing to the tempo of the scissors.

"_Now signorini, signori/We mix the lather/But first you gather around/Signorini, signori/You looking a man/Who had the glory/To shave the Pope!/Mr. Sweeney whoever—I beg your pardon/You'll probably say it was only a cardinal—Nope! It was the pope!/To shave the face/To cut the hair/Require the grace/Require the flair/For if you slip/You nick the skin/You clip the chin/You rip the lip a bit beyond repair!/To shave the face/Or even a part/Without the smart/Require the heart!/Not just the flash/It take the panache/It take the passion for the art/To shave the face/To trim the beard/To make the bristle/Clean like a whistle/This is from early infancy/The talent give to me/By God!/It take the skill/It take the brains/It take the will/To take the pains/It take the pace/It take the graaaace!_" And no sooner had she stopped singing the song, did the man finish cutting her hair. He styled it to her humming of "My Friends," from _Sweeny Todd_. He finished, and brushed any remaining hair on her dress off, and gave her to the two women who wasted no time in undressing her despite her hot and loud protests. They put her in a strange sport bra that seemed to not have any seams or hemming. Then they began to wrap her so tightly that her breasts disappeared. They wrapped a white hand towel around her waist and her curves disappeared. They then dressed her in a uniform, and threw her back into the parlor.

Dani swayed on the spot, slightly dizzy from the breakneck pace everything had happened. Her father and Suoh were staring at her. Then they adopted annoyingly smug looks on their faces. Dani's hands began to get clammy from nerves. Then she saw herself in a mirror.

All her hair was gone now. Her hairstyle now resembled a male model. She was wrapped so tightly she looked like she had a man's muscular chest instead of breasts. And the uniform…black pants, black man-shoes (that admittedly fit her rather well), a white button-up shirt, a light blue blazer with the school crest on one breast, and a navy blue tie with a violet stripe down the middle. She stared at herself, horrified.

"We've decided to disguise you as a boy," her father explained, rather late. Dani kept staring at her reflection, speechless.

"Cross-dressing is not as uncommon here in Japan as it is in the United States, or Mexico. Although it would be wise to keep your sex a secret, since your rivals from Lobelia may come looking for you. They'll be looking for a girl named Danica Peretti, not a boy named Daniel Oelrichs," Suoh went on. Dani turned back to the room.

"I'm going to spend the rest of my high school career dressed as a _guy_?" she choked out. She looked on the verge of tears. "There is so many things wrong with this I don't even know where to start!"

"Only until we are sure that the threat has passed. Then Daniel can 'mysteriously' transfer out to a school in the States, and I'll bring 'Danica' from Mexico to Japan," Oelrichs added. Dani turned on her heels, and fled the room, slamming the door behind her.

"Perhaps we should have asked her how she felt about this before we did that," Suoh mused. Oelrichs nodded.

"Perhaps we should have." They sat in a rather awkward silence for a while.

"She seems to have a mind of her own, though," Suoh said hesitantly.

"She certainly does. She gets that from her mother," Oelrichs said wistfully. Suoh took a sip of tea.

"Where is her mother?"

Oelrichs suddenly looked very uncomfortable, shifting in his seat and stammering. "Danica is my child from my first marriage. I met her mother in college, and we planned to marry after we graduated. She had no idea of my family's wealth. After we graduated, we married quickly in Las Vegas. However, my family hated Natalia, and demanded we divorce, on pain of disinheritance. I had preferred being disinherited, but Natalia left of her own free will, saying she would not be the reason that a son was estranged from his family. We announced that she was pregnant in hopes of being allowed to stay married and avoid a very public scandal. It backfired on us. Natalia was deported back to Mexico six months into her pregnancy. I wasn't there when Danica was born, but I picked her middle name. I never met her until I brought her here. My company has opened a branch here in Japan, and my second wife and two children are still in the States, finishing their last year of school, learning Japanese, and packing. They will join me next summer."

Suoh let out a low whistle. Oelrichs averted his gaze from the older man. "My son is illegitimate. However, his mother disappeared soon after Tamaki joined me in Japan. I have no other children." Oelrichs was surprised, but didn't feel as guilty, because here was a man who followed almost the same path he did.

"I know for a fact that my wife also hates Natalia and Danica. But I couldn't leave Dani in Mexico. She's too smart to be left in a third world country. So I brought her with me," Oelrichs explained.

"How much time did you give her to decide to come with you?"

"About a month, actually."

"And she learned Japanese in that short time?" Suoh asked incredulously. Oelrichs nodded.

"Like I said, she's very smart, and very talented. Besides Japanese and English, she speaks Spanish and Italian. She's always been at the top of her classes, and she is already an accomplished opera singer, and plays several instruments besides that."

Suoh smiled. "She'll fit in perfectly at Ouran then. I will have my son be her guide around campus. They will be in the same class together, although it will be smart for her not to tell anyone that she truly is a girl. She will be excused from gym classes, and on health exams she will be given a private room."

"Thank you, Suoh. I truly appreciate it," Oelrichs said, touched. Suoh smiled.

"My pleasure. I too know how precious the child of the one woman you loved is. And when the child is yours, it makes that child all the more precious."

.*.*.*.

Dani sat on her bed, strumming her guitar and humming, trying to conquer the lump in her throat. She was so humiliated. Not that dressing as a guy was bad, but that they had to go to these lengths to attempt to "protect" her? She was wiser now, did they not think she had learned anything from this incident?

Besides, was this really necessary? Really? Dressing like a guy? To add insult to injury, all her hair was gone now! She fought the urge to run her fingers through her shorn hair. What a mess she had gotten into.

But at Ouran, she would not be shy about who she was or her talent, she was determined in this aspect. In Mexico, during lunch breaks, she'd sit outside with her guitar, and play. People stopped to listen, and she even had some occasional requests. Plus, this idea of having to be a guy had a certain anonymity that she liked about it.

Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all.

She sat up, and looked in the mirror, getting used to her reflection. The man had cut her hair so that it looked like a boy and girl haircut. Where her hair had been shaved was completely covered and could not be seen at all. Her eyes stood out even more without hair to distract from her face. Dani quickly scrubbed the makeup off of her face. She hadn't gone barefaced in so long. It was a little freeing, and not a little intimidating. But her skin was flawless, and she leaned back, a little pleased. Who would this new Dani be? This Dani who would be called a "he" from then on?

Would they automatically think she was gay?

This thought struck her as so hysterical that she burst out laughing, and fell back onto her bed, clutching her stomach, her guitar slipping through her slack grip. She laughed so hard that tears leaked out of her eyes. The tears of mirth turned to tears of loneliness.

"_Mamá, yo no sé lo que hacer ya. Tengo que ser completamente diferente ahora. ¿Por qué? Yo no sé, yo no sé_," Dani cried into her pillow, a hand on the emerald ring her mother had given her for her sixteenth birthday.

After a few moments, Dani sat up and dried her tears. She turned on her laptop (that she had named Johann), and proceeded to look up easier songs to sing. She'd have to learn to be a tenor, now.

After a while, there was a knock on her door, and Oelrichs entered, sitting on Dani's bed. The entire house was in the Western style, however, the gardens and guest houses were not. It made for very interesting grounds.

"Are you angry, Danica?" Oelrichs asked softly. Dani shrugged.

"I would have appreciated it if you had let me know beforehand instead of springing it on me and letting me freak out in front of company. I mean really, Dad! _ ¡¿¡Está loco!_" Dani asked, swiveling around on her chair to face him, one eyebrow arched. Oelrichs shook his head.

"You're just like your mother. She used to do that to me all the time, speak in Spanish or Italian just to throw me off," Oelrichs said fondly. Dani returned to the aria she had found and hit the print button.

"You know, I would have been all for this idea if I knew before. I could have saved you a ton of espionage planning. Would have cut my hair myself and figured out how to make myself flat. I'm bound so tight I can barely breathe! How am I supposed to sing like this, Dad? Huh? And I have to learn how to sing, walk, act, and be a guy!" Dani was getting worked up.

"You have two months to learn that, though," Oelrichs pointed out. Dani's face lit up with a faraway look.

"Oh, yeah…"

Oelrichs grinned and chuckled. "I'll apologize for not telling you sooner, but I will not apologize for taking these measures. They're for your own good," he insisted. Dani shrugged. Oelrichs sighed. "Have it your way, then. Dinner is in an hour." He left, closing the door softly behind him. Dani nosedived onto her bed and let out a string of curses in three languages. She hadn't learned how to curse in Japanese yet. Then she felt bad for using foul language, and apologized to her pillow.

In a whirlwind, she whipped off the uniform and put on a dress. She looked at herself in the mirror again. She smiled. _I look like a fairy or something!_ she thought humorously. But really, she reasoned with herself, this new hair wasn't bad! She didn't have to try to hide where her hair had been shaved at all. And hair would grow. She felt a pang of regret that she couldn't donate the hair that had been cut off.

_Look on the bright side, Dan,_ she thought positively, _you can be a whole new you! Maybe you'll finally get over your shyness in front of strangers when you don't have your guitar! Maybe this time you'll make some good friends! Besides, you're smart. You won't have a hard time impressing teachers. And look how quickly you learned Japanese! Sure, you speak it with a slight Spanish accent, but you can get over that once you're around it some more._

Dani's internal pep talks always did wonders, and it was a new Dani that bounced down the stairs to the dining room when the dinner bell was rung.

After dinner, she grabbed her shoes and phone, yelled where she was going to her father, and headed out the door.

She walked about five blocks and found herself outside of Ouran Academy, staring at the empty school in the early twilight. Her eyes widened. It was much more impressive than St. Lobelia's. The buildings were large with impressive architecture, made completely of white marble, with large windows, and the most beautiful landscaping she'd ever seen. She stood staring at the school, feeling small, insignificant, and dowdy. She didn't know how to be an upper class girl. She was always working class; her mother worked two jobs, and Dani worked after school and on weekends, just to pay the rent and put food on the table. Ever since Nonna and Abuelito had died, it had just been the two of them, since her mother's older brother had gone to Italy years ago.

But this time she wasn't a working class girl. She had to learn how to be an upper class guy. Her half-siblings must know how to act like that, since they had grown up like that. Dani wrinkled her nose. She hoped with all her heart that they wouldn't be snobs and that somehow they'd learn how to be friends. She always wished she had siblings.

Dani sighed, and turned away as the giant clock struck the hour, startling some doves out of the trees. She'd go home and practice her violin, which had been sadly neglected for a while. Maybe she'd work some more on that portrait of her grandparents again.

She wasn't worried about the future. She was her own person, and needed no one to fill an empty place in her heart. She'd face what came full on, whether her parents were beside her or not. She was strong. And she was happy.

And she'd need that presence of mind to get through her first few days at Ouran in September.

**Hi there!**

**So updates of **_**Gratia Plena**_** will be based on when my sister ****Selestyna Arpa364**** updates her story **_**Short**_**. Muahahahahaha! So pop on over there and check out her HunnyxOC story. It's full of ROFLcopters and shenaniganry. :D**

**Anyway, next week is my finals week, so I may not update till the week after. Depends on how soon I move my ass out of Caldwell and into Opus, or if I move out of Caldwell back home and THEN to Opus. Summer classes. Gotta take them. Yay! That means I can stay in my favorite place in the entire world: school. You kiddies will understand when you get to college.**

**I was going to tell you about the car wreck that is/was my life, but I don't think I'll bore you with that. I'll just tell you that after two years of being a music major, this year I became an English major (which is why I'm positively ANAL about how perfect my chapters are!) and therefore I will graduate in five years of college, not four. Damn you prerequisites! *shakes fist***

**But that's okay! That means I'll be president of Anime club for two years instead of one! The club threw a party when they found out. I'm loved!**

**So show your love for this story that I so **_**painstakingly**_** work on. Please leave me a review, they seriously give me motivation. And I adore Dani, my own character, so please be nice to her. Flamers will be hunted, tried for douchebaggery, and executed.**

**Please review and I'll see you next time!**

**All my love,**

**~La Principessa Dell'Opera**

**PS**

"**O Mio Babbino Caro" is an aria from **_**Gianni Schicchi**_** by Giacomo Puccini**

**Molto bene- Very good (Italian)**

**Telenovelas are Spanish soap operas. EXTREMELY CHEESY! Except **_**Corazón Salvaje.**_** That one is made of pure win.**

**Piacere- Pleased, charmed, etc. (Italian)**

**Señor- Mister, sir (Spanish)**

**Signorini, Signori- Sirs (Italian)**

**Mamá, yo no sé lo que hacer ya. Tengo que ser completamente diferente ahora. ¿Por qué? Yo no sé, yo no sé- Mama, I don't know what to do. I have to be completely different now. Why? I don't know, I don't know. (Spanish)**

**Está loco- Are you crazy (Spanish)**


	3. Chapter 2: Handsome Young Men

**I do not own Ouran, or any songs or known places or characters that are mentioned herein. I only own Dani, Dani's neurotic Dad, and Shizu. I don't even own the house they live in. It's an actual mansion in Newport Rhode Island. Google Image "Rosecliff" and check it out. Everything except the characters mentioned above belong to their respective artists, publishers, recording companies, and rabid fans.**

Chapter Two:

Handsome Young Men

_Or_

L'amour est Oiseau Rebelle (La Habanera)

"Yes, yes, Mr. Oelrichs, come in. I've been expecting you," Mr. Suoh said, gesturing to Dani to sit in the leather chair in front of his desk. His secretary and bodyguard stood behind him, making him look intimidating, but Dani made herself stay casual, carefully setting her book bag and guitar case down and respectfully removing her black pinstripe fedora. She'd seen a great deal of Suoh over the summer, and knew him to be much more dramatic than her own father, but she'd grown fond of him, and she was relieved to see his friendly face in the enormous school.

"Good morning, sir. I trust I find you in good health?" Dani said, her voice a little lower, and a bit softer than normal. It had become a joke between them to be extra polite and formal, since when she had first met him, she'd been awkward and addressed him especially nicely.

"Blooming, Mr. Oelrichs, I thank you. Now, I see from your transcripts that you have been an exceptional student at your other schools, maintaining a 4.0 grade average, a rather impressive repertoire of extra-curriculum activities, and extraordinary artistic talent. Your previous teachers have written glowing reports about you, and employers have written the same. Because of this, we've placed you in Class 2A. I'll have the class president and vice president here presently." Mr. Suoh nodded at the secretary who nodded and exited the room. Mr. Suoh waved his hand at the bodyguard, and he too left the room.

As soon as the door closed, Dani sighed in relief, and smiled at Mr. Suoh, giving a little laugh. Mr. Suoh smiled back at her.

"Very good, Dani. Your imitation of male mannerisms is impeccable. Your practice over the summer has paid off. I don't think you'll have any problem being accepted as a male student." He took out a small, rather thick booklet, and handed it to Dani.

"This is the Student Code of Honor. It details the expectations of students. It also has a map in the back."

Dani smiled and flipped through the book. "Are the president and vice-president of 2A male?"

"They are. They will be your first test of acting skills. Good luck, Miss Danica," Suoh said, and he pressed a button.

The two guys strode in confidently and Dani stood, placing her hat back on her head. Then she got a good look at the boys.

They were probably the two most beautiful men she had ever seen, real life or otherwise. One was tall with the most beautiful golden hair and lively, violet-blue eyes she'd ever seen. He was smiling warmly. The boy next to the blonde was an inch or so shorter, with sleek black hair, intelligent dark gray eyes, glasses, a notebook at his side, and a plastered smile on his face. He was coldly handsome, whereas the blond was invitingly good-looking. Dani prayed that she was not blushing.

"This is Kyoya Ootori, president of class 2A, and my son Tamaki Suoh, vice-president," Suoh introduced the boys. Dani shook their hands firmly.

"I'm Dani Oelrichs. It's a pleasure to meet you both," Dani said, shaking first bespeckled Kyoya's hand, then blonde Tamaki's. Tamaki smiled wider.

"Glad to meet you, too! I hope we will become great friends!" Tamaki exclaimed, still smiling. Dani smiled back at him. _He's got such a happy smile. I hope he really will be a friend._

"If you'd like, we could show you around the school," Kyoya offered. Dani nodded.

"Yes, thank you, that'd be great," Dani answered. They led her away, Tamaki beginning to chatter good-naturedly about the school. Dani looked back at the chairman who gave her a reassuring wink.

Tamaki kept up a steady stream of commentary as they meandered around campus, Kyoya interjecting or extrapolating once in a while. Dani concentrated on _not_ thinking about how sinfully hot they were!

They stopped outside North Hall and Tamaki said something that grabbed Dani's attention.

"The top floor of this building has music rooms, all outfitted with grand pianos. Music Room Three, though, is usually empty," Tamaki explained. Dani was relishing the fact that she'd be able to practice on grand pianos all the time until the last part of what he had said stirred her curiosity.

"Why is it usually empty?"

"It's the classroom for the most popular club on campus: the Ouran High School Host Club!" Tamaki exclaimed dramatically, striking a pose. He began to sparkle, and roses appeared behind him to make a dramatic backdrop.

Dani stared. _Where did the roses come from?_ ran through her mind, but then thought it'd be rude to ask, so she said instead, "What's a host club?"

For a moment, everything was still. Then Tamaki disappeared into a corner where he curled up in the fetal position and began to weep a steady river of tears. Dani's jaw nearly hit the ground.

"Don't worry, this is a normal occurrence for him," Kyoya explained coolly. A light bulb switched on in Dani's head.

"Is he involved in this host club?" she asked Kyoya. He turned to look at her, a bit surprised that she'd caught on so quickly.

"He is. The Host Club's president, as a matter of fact," Kyoya answered adjusting his glasses.

"Oh. I'm sorry, Tamaki, I didn't realize," Dani offered, hoping to make amends while making sure she didn't sound girly. Tamaki stood up with a flourish and bowed, all traces of tears gone. _Wow, he got over that fast,_ Dani thought.

"You are forgiven, Dani. By the way, have you sat under a kotasu since arriving in Japan?" he asked elaborately. Dani blinked in surprise.

"No."

Tamaki disappeared into an Emo Corner of Darkness then Redness then Whiteness.

Dani's jaw dropped again. "Did I just step on a landmine?" Tamaki dragged himself over to Kyoya and gripped his arm as a last gesture before death.

"Kyoya, he's never sat under a kotasu before," Tamaki gasped, tears glistening in his eyes. Dani almost looked around for the "he" Tamaki was talking about, until she realized it was her.

"Perhaps he's better educated in Japanese culture than you were, Tamaki," Kyoya answered, coolly prying Tamaki's fingers off. Tamaki collapsed in despair.

"Hey, Tamaki, what's a host club?" Dani asked hurriedly in a desperate attempt to change the subject. It worked.

Tamaki rose dramatically, looked charming and declared, "The host club is a family!"

"That didn't answer my question though," Dani pointed out. Tamaki looked taken aback. Dani had to restrain herself from giggling.

"Maybe you should stop by, then, after school," Kyoya suggested, giving Tamaki a significant look. Tamaki patted Dani's shoulder and smiled, seemingly having understood the silent message. Kyoya wrote something in his notebook. Dani wondered what that silent exchange was about, but her curiosity about the club was peaked.

"Eh, sure, why not?" Dani answered, giving a half-shrug. Suddenly Tamaki leapt into the air, yelling with joy. He full-on glomped Dani who struggled to remain standing.

"IKNOWWE'LLALLBETHEBESTOFFRIENDS,DANI!CANICALLYOUDANI?DOESTHISMEANTHATWE'REBESTFRIENDSNOW?IHOPEWE'REFRIENDSNOW!I'!WON'TTHATBEAWESOME!" Tamaki screamed in Dani's ear. She pried him off of her. _She_ didn't even do that to people. This guy acted more like a girl than she did! Tamaki bounced on the balls of his feet awaiting her answer, unperturbed by her discomfort. Kyoya watched Dani carefully. She'd have to be careful with that one.

"Yeah, I'll go, as long as you don't do that again," Dani gasped, regaining the oxygen that Tamaki had squeezed out of her. Tamaki threw a one-man party.

.*.*.*.

It was lunch break, and it was so warm and lovely outside that Dani couldn't resist going outside, wandering around, and hopefully finding a place to sit and play her guitar. She found it at a pretty marble fountain in the middle of a courtyard. The fountain made a fleur-de-lis shoot water, making it fall three tiers to the bottom basin. It was the perfect place to sit and sing.

Dani looked around, and seeing no one, sat, brought out her guitar, and tuned it. She strummed it thoughtfully, until an Italian oldie came to mind.

"_Questa è la storia di uno di noi / Anche lui nato per caso in via Gluck / In una casa, fuori città / Gente tranquilla, che lavorava. / Là dove c'era l'erba ora c'è una città / E quella casa in mezzo al verde ormai / Dove sarà?_" Dani sang gently, grinning. It felt so good to sing again, no matter if she was singing as a guy, or a girl. She was singing.

Out of the corner of her eye, Dani saw a guy stop and listen, looking around for the source of the music. He looked very tall, and he was wearing a gi, looking like he was on his way to practice. Dani nodded at him, but did not miss a beat. He turned to look at her and she saw he was exceptionally handsome, with a serious expression on his face, but kind eyes. Dani quickly looked away before she could blush. "_Mio caro amico se qui sono nato / E in questa strada ora lascio il mio cuore / Ma come fai a non capire / È una fortuna per voi che restate…_" Dani looked up as more people stopped to listen, boys and girls. The guy in the gi was listening, leaning against a column, a slight smile on his face, a dreamy expression in his eyes. An expression, Dani was sure, he was not aware of. "_Passano gli anni ma otto son lunghi / Però quil ragazzo ne ha fatta di strada / Ma non si scorda la sua prima casa / Ora coi soldi lui può comperarla / Torna e non trova gli amici che aveva…_" The entire courtyard was filled now, and not a sound was made among the students. Dani vaguely registered them. She was performing, and enjoying herself, basking in the undivided attention. She loved to please her audiences, and her audiences were always eager to be pleased. Dani got a rush from performing, even though she had terrible stage fright. She was determined to get over it, and playing for the student body helped. "_E no se andiamo avanti così / Chissà come si far, chissà, chissà come si far? / Chissà, chissà…_" with a final chord, Dani finished the song, and the courtyard erupted into applause. About half of Ouran was standing there, listening intently. The tall guy in the gi nodded, still smiling, and walked away.

"Again!" someone yelled, several people repeating the word excitedly. Dani obliged with a song in English popular in the America a few years ago.

"_Hey there, Delilah / What's it like in New York City? / I'm a thousand miles away / but girl, tonight you look so pretty yes you do. / Times Square can't shine as bright as you / I swear it's true…_" Dani saw Tamaki and Kyoya join the throng out of the corner of her eye. Tamaki looked rather pensive, unlike the energetic kid that had glomped her earlier, as if the music transported him somewhere else. Dani understood the feeling. Kyoya's glasses were glinting in a calculating manner as he scribbled something down in his notebook, writing extremely fast, then speaking to Tamaki who responded uncharacteristically seriously.

When the bells rang for the end of the lunch break, Dani packed up her guitar and headed back into the school, casually chatting with eager classmates who wanted to know who this new, talented, handsome young man was! Several of the students were inclined to talk, and Dani proceeded to charm them with her shy, sweet smiles, slight Spanish accent, and easy grace. Several guys discussed _his_ talent, family, person, while the girls giggled about _his_ talent, looks, and sweetness. Kyoya smirked behind her back while Tamaki elbowed him painfully in the ribs repeatedly. The idea that had been planted earlier was quickly becoming a plan…

.*.*.*.

"Tamaki, seriously, you can let go of my hand. I can just follow you," Dani said as Tamaki yanked her down a hallway after him. He ignored her and, if anything, pulled on her arm more insistently.

"You're going to be so impressed, Dani!" he exclaimed. Dani scowled a bit.

"I'd be even more impressed if you let go of me!" she mumbled. To her relief and surprise, he did, outside of white double doors with stately engravings and shining brass handles. Dani was still trying to adjust to almost obscene amounts of wealth, and this was no exception. All day she had been gaping at the sheer amount of leaf gold, marble, velvet, silk, and desks that were made of expensive wood. _How many months have I been here? How will I ever be used to such riches that practically drip from these peoples fingers! _she wondered. Then she wondered why she and Tamaki were just standing there in front of the door. And where Kyoya was.

Dani kept staring at the door, Tamaki practically dying of excitement. "Sooo…is the door supposed to explode or something?" she asked. Tamaki laughed and grabbed hold of one of the handles.

"Welcome, Dani, to the Ouran Host Club!" he declared, and opened the doors with a flourish. Dani was momentarily blinded by the bright light, and the smell of roses swirled around her deliciously.

"Welcome," a collective voice came. When her eyes adjusted, she saw that Tamaki had joined the rest of the club, and they all posed. There were seven boys. Seven incredibly handsome boys. Seven ridiculously hot boys.

Dani felt her face flushing, and her ears were getting hotter. She put her fedora on her head, hoping that it would cover her ears and cheeks.

Standing in the middle of the room, looking as if they were ready for a photoshoot, were the seven most beautiful men Dani had ever seen. Tamaki sat in a red velvet chair as if it was his throne. To his right was Kyoya, coolly handsome and giving a very sexy half-smile, his notebook in the crook of his arm. To Kyoya's right was a guy with big brown eyes, looking rather dazed, as if woken up from sleep mere seconds ago. To Kyoya's left were two red-headed twins, arms intertwined and completely identical. Next to them was the cutest little boy ever, cuddling a pink stuffed bunny close to his chest and grinning widely. Behind him, half turned away was the tall guy from earlier, dressed now in the Ouran uniform instead of his gi, and looking exceptionally handsome.

Dani nearly died of shock. _How is it humanly possible to be this gorgeous? And why is this music room so ridiculously huge?_

"What on—?" She didn't get a chance to finish her sentence because the little boy with the bunny ran up to her, and attaching to her waist. Dani froze like marble, afraid that he'd see through her disguise.

"Is this the new student you were talking about, Tama-chan!" the kid asked in the sweetest, childish voice ever. Dani resisted the urge to squeal and hug him back.

"Dani, this is Mitskuni Haninozuka, otherwise known as Hunny. He's a third year student," Tamaki introduced. Hunny smiled cutely and held out his bunny.

And this is Usa-chan!" Dani nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Instead, she shook Hunny's hand, smiling nicely, shocked that this boy was older than she!

The tall guy that Dani had seen earlier while she played the guitar came forward and picked up the little guy and plopped him on his shoulders. Dani looked up at him and was exceedingly glad her hat was on her head. He was much more handsome up close, and Dani wasn't used to men, or other girls for that matter. It was always her and her mother.

"Dani this is Takashi Morinozuka, also called just Mori," Tamaki said, gesturing to Tall Dark and Handsome. Dani fought her blush and severely palpitating heart.

Mori nodded at her, a slight smile touching his mouth. "Hey." He walked away, Hunny still on his shoulders.

Dani was trying to stay conscious—the overwhelming amount of men was sending her heart into convulsions—and put her bag and guitar down. "So, you're the new kid." The two completely identical boys snaked their way in front of Dani, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

"Erm, yes. Hello," Dani said, sticking out her hand to shake theirs. They both took a hand and pumped it up and down.

"And these are the Hitachiin twins, Hikaru and Kaoru," Tamaki added. Then a boy, shorter than all the rest (except for Hunny) was shoved forward by the twins. "And this is our newest member, Haruhi Fujioka."

Haruhi looked mildly annoyed he was being shoved around, but shook Dani's offered hand politely. "It's nice to meet you, Dani-sempai," he said. Dani looked at the hand that she was shaking, then peered closer to Haruhi's face. _She_—Haruhi—was practically a mirror of Dani: they were both cross-dressing.

Without thinking of the wisdom of her decision, Dani blurted, "Haruhi, why are you dressed as a guy also?"

The room was instantly, eerily silent. Dani clamped her mouth shut as the color drained from her face. _They'll know! And of my own folly!_ she thought frantically. The world was frozen, from the shock on the twins faces to Tamaki mid-glomping Kyoya, to the cake half-way to Hunny's mouth. Dani braced herself for the storm.

Suddenly the curtains were drawn, door were locked, lights were dimmed, and Dani was thrown into a chair, a flashlight shining brightly in her eyes, the host club standing around her menacingly, except Haruhi who looked thoroughly unperturbed.

"Who told you Haruhi was a girl?" a twin (Hikaru? Kaoru? She couldn't tell them apart yet.) growled.

"No one," she replied, rather defensively.

"SO YOU FIGURED IT OUT ON YOUR OWN, HUH?" Tamaki accused.

"Yes."

"OH, REALLY!"

"Yes. It wasn't hard. Her hands are slender like a girl's, and her face is rounder than a boy's. She's too pretty to be a boy." Dani knew as soon as she said that, it was the wrong thing to say.

"WHAT!" they screeched. Dani shoved the flashlight out of her eyes.

"What's the big deal, anyway? She can dress however she wants. I'm not judging." _Like I have any room to judge,_ she thought grudgingly.

"Are you here to take Daddy's little girl away?" Tamaki demanded loudly, then he ran around the room screaming about something like his daughter, and whatnot.

"So why _are_ you dressed like a guy?" Dani asked Haruhi. Dani knew the exact reason that she was dressed as a guy, but why was Haruhi?

"Ugh, it's a long story," Haruhi began, but Kyoya cut her off.

"Haruhi is disguised as a male student to work as a host and pay off a considerable debt. She's the scholarship honors student, so she doesn't have money or connections we do," Kyoya informed Dani in almost a lazy tone of voice. Tamaki—on the other side of the room—blew up again, yelling about not sharing his daughter's secrets with strangers, etc. Haruhi didn't look annoyed, or even disturbed like the rest of the club. She turned the lights back on, dodged the twins, and returned the room to normal. Dani rescued her guitar from a rampaging Tamaki, and helped open the drapes. Haruhi seemed saner than the rest of this club.

"So is that really why you're dressed as a guy?" Dani asked conversationally.

"Yeah, but it's not so bad. I wish I had more time to study, though," Haruhi mused. Dani grinned.

"Study for what?" Haruhi's eyes sparkled with ambition.

"Law school," Haruhi answered excitedly.

"¡_Muy bien_! Good luck!"

Suddenly, Tamaki barreled into Dani, knocking her clean off her feet, and sending her flying.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO STEAL MY LITTLE GIRL!" he yelled at her, becoming more and more ridiculous.

Dani threw her arms out to catch herself, bracing herself for a hard fall on the marble floor. Mori—who had been sitting nearby with Hunny—lunged to catch her. They both skidded on the ground. And suddenly, both Dani and Mori realized where he had caught her; he was cupping a breast that while not visible, was still there.

Dani flushed scarlet, and leapt to her feet, her face, ears and neck bright red. Mori averted his gaze from her, cheeks vermillion. Without a word, Dani hurried away, trying to control her blush. Mori returned quickly to Hunny and his cake. Tamaki began bellowing at Dani like a berserker. Dani—still completely mortified and wanting nothing better to do than run away and cry—tried and succeeded in looking amused and not intimidated in the slightest.

"WHY ARE YOU HERE, ANYWAY!" Tamaki shrieked. Haruhi looked exasperated, Kyoya bored, twins suspicious, Hunny hungry, and Mori still bright red.

"You invited me, Tamaki. Have you forgotten?" Dani retorted good-naturedly. Despite his drama and his strange mood swings, Dani liked him.

Tamaki looked shocked. Then he smiled and threw an arm around her shoulders.

"Then watch us hosts at work!" he declared, and almost as if waiting for his cue, the doors were flung open, and what seemed to be the entire female student body filed in.

Soon the room was full to bursting, and all the hosts were busy with their guests. Dani wandered around, glad that she was a friend of the host club, and not a fangirl customer. She watched Tamaki romance girls like some sort of Romeo, Kyoya discuss classes with his customers, Hikaru and Kaoru nearly making out, Haruhi being charming and fantastically unaware of it, Hunny being completely adorable, and Mori silent, offering little smiles to his admirers. Dani was amused at the antics and wondering what the point of it was, when a hand touched her elbow. She turned to see a girl, shyly fidgeting with her fingernails. Dani smiled at her, unsure of what to say.

"Um, I noticed that you're new. Are you another host?" she asked quietly. Dani shook her head.

"No, I'm just a friend of the host club," Dani explained. The girl's face fell.

"Oh, well, I j-just…" she stammered, embarrassed. Dani interrupted gently.

"Would you like to sit down? I can get you some tea, or coffee if you prefer," Dani offered. The girl nodded, and Dani escorted her to a couch and brought her a cup of tea she asked for.

"What's your name?" Dani asked nicely. The girl turned bright red.

"Sh-shizu. Shizu Dodahara," she whispered. _She's a shy one. I don't think she'll be comfortable talking about herself then…_Dani thought, placing her guitar by her feet.

"I'm Dani Oelrichs. I'm new to Japan and I really like it here. Is there somewhere I should see?" she asked nicely. Shizu turned red and stuttered incomprehensively. She looked down and saw Dani's guitar. Her eyes lit up. Dani put a hand on the case. "Would you like me to play for you?" she asked. Shizu nodded and quickly drank her tea. Dani lovingly withdrew her guitar and tuned it. She strummed, humming until she thought of a song.

"_Reloj no marques las horas / porque voy a enloquecer / ella se ira para siempre / cuando amanezca otra vez_," Dani sang. It was a Mexican song, sung by many different artists that seemed to have been around forever. It was one of her particular favorites. "_Nomas nos queda esta noche / para vivir nuestro amor / Y tu tic-tac me recuerda / mi irremediable dolor_."

The song made people stop talking to listen, and a crowd of girls gathered around, each greeted by a smile from Dani. Tamaki—who's numerous guests had left to listen to Dani sing—spat a spitball at Kyoya who was writing furiously in his notebook and glared poisonously at the originator of the spitball. They exchanged knowing glances, then returned to their remaining guests who weren't paying one iota of attention to them; all the girls' faces were turned to Dani.

"_Reloj detén tu camino / porque mi vida se apaga / ella es la estrella / que alumbra mi ser / Yo sin su amor no soy nada / Detén el tiempo en tus manos / haz esta noche perpetua / para que nunca se vaya de mí / ¡para que nunca amanezca!_" Dani's audience applauded when she finished the song and begged for more. Dani obliged them with a song in English.

"_This town is colder now I think it's sick of us / It's time to make a move I'm shaking off the rust / I've got my heart set on anywhere but here / I'm staring down myself counting up the years / Steady hands just take the wheel / every glance is killing me / Time to make one last appeal / for the life I lead_," Dani sang, drawing the rest of the girls closer. Shizu didn't even seem to mind the crowd of girls around her; her eyes were resting admiringly on Dani's face. Dani was glad most male singers were tenors now. She was having difficulty sustaining lower notes. "_Stop and stare / I think I'm moving but I go nowhere / Yeah, I know that everyone gets scared / I've become what I can't be / Oh, do you see what I see?_"

She played and sang for hours, and unbeknownst to her, the hosts held a conference while she was busy with the guests. Dani felt a little guilty, taking all the customers, but the hosts had been planning for a distraction like this. Thank God for that painfully shy girl!

Dani finished and put her guitar away, a sigh of disappointment passing through her audience like a breeze. But they left, and Dani turned to Shizu.

"I hope we can be friends, Shizu! Thanks to you, I amassed an audience!" Dani said happily. _Guys are more aggressive in speech and direction, don't forget_, her father would say to her when she practiced. It had been difficult to break herself of her shyness.

Shizu blushed prettily with pleasure. "I hope so, too," she whispered, holding out her hand. Dani, feeling the stares of all the customers, grimaced inwardly at what she was about to do. She took Shizu's hand, and brought it to her face, gently brushing the top of the shy girl's hand with a light kiss, looking up intently afterwards into Shizu's eyes. Shizu's blush deepened as fangirl squealing filled the air. Finally, after several backwards glances and whispers (Shizu among them), the customers took their leave. Dani fought her almost-prevailing gag reflex.

As she gathered her things together, Tamaki asked "Dani, would you stay a moment?" She turned to see the host club assembled, most looking excited, even Haruhi.

"Okaaaaay…What's this? Oh!" She facepalmed, reminding herself to _stop_ acting like a girl, and that she stole their customers. "I'm sorry, I stole your clientele. It won't happen again."

"As a matter of fact, we _want_ it to happen again," Kyoya replied. Dani blinked.

"Huh?"

Tamaki stepped forward and put a friendly hand on Dani's shoulder. "How would you like to be the eighth host?" he offered. Dani blinked rapidly, looking from one host to the other. They all looked quite serious.

"Uuuuuh…" she said most eloquently and wittily. She didn't know exactly what to say. "You just met me. How would you know if I was host material?" Tamaki looked bashful.

"My father recommended it. After meeting you and seeing your popularity with the student body, not to mention the princesses, it has sealed our decision," Tamaki announced, throwing his arm across Dani's shoulders. Dani squirmed.

"Your father?" she asked him. He nodded. _He may have had a different motive coming over so often than helping me and my acting, clever bastard! _Dani thought, a bit resentfully. But reflecting upon this offer brought several points to light.

This was an all-guys club, with seven of the hottest, richest, smartest, most popular guys in school. Not only would she be with people with connections and brains, but Haruhi was disguise as a guy and extremely popular! There were several benefits to joining.

"If I did join, what would being a host entail?" she asked a little suspiciously. Tamaki withdrew his arm from her shoulders and let Kyoya explain.

"Each host is a different type, so we would have to find a type that you will fit," Kyoya began coolly, looking over some notes in his notebook. Dani frowned in confusion.

"Types?"

"The type of host you are determines in what manner you entertain the guests."

"Huh?"

Kyoya closed his notebook and adjusted his glasses. "Tamaki, as our president is the prince type. He romances our customers in a fantastic, poetic way." Tamaki struck a "romantic" pose. Dani snorted with laughter.

"So Tamaki thinks he's Romeo, got it."

Kyoya went on to explain that Hunny was the boy Lolita type, Haruhi was the natural host, the twins were mischievous loving brothers, he Kyoya was the cool type, and Mori was the strong silent type.

"So what does that leave me?" Dani asked. "Hypothetically, of course."

Kyoya adjusted his glasses again. Dani decided that could become a very annoying habit. "Based on our information about you" ("Stalker" Dani mumbled in Italian) "We decided on artistic. Tamaki's father has been very helpful in telling us rather pertinent information. We know you play acoustic and electric guitar, piano, violin, cello, and viola. You also sing a wide variety of music, not just limited to popular songs, and including opera in five different languages. And you also sketch, draw, paint, photograph, sculpt, and more visual arts."

"The only think I can't do is dance. So if I join, I entertain women with art." Dani thought about it. She couldn't see a reason at all for her to not join.

"Alright, I'm in," Dani said. The hosts cheered, the twins high-fived, Tamaki did a dramatic fist-pump, Hunny squealed "yay!", Kyoya looked pleased, Haruhi smiled, and Mori displayed a profound lack of emotion. Dani smiled. Here were seven friends for her where she had none. And Haruhi's secret was safe with them, so _if_ she was ever found out, she may be safer with them than without.

_As long as Mori doesn't say anything, I'm safe_, Dani thought. Mori was watching her steadily, a faint pink still on his cheeks. _Best to avoid him_, she resolved, and averted her gaze. _But this will prove to be an interesting semester._

**Hi there!**

**Chapter two! Yay! I just finished my first week of summer classes and let me tell you what, that was some seriously hardcore learning! I learned about Hinduism in four days. FOUR DAYS! OMGWTFBBQ! And Shakespeare! OHMYGOD SHAKESPEARE! We did **_**Richard III**_** in two days! HOLY CRAAAAP! And SONNETS! I love the sonnets. 8-D**

**I totally just fangirled over Shakespeare, didn't I? I'm super special.**

**Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter. Yes, that totally happened. Freak out over it. In fact, freak out on a review! Yeah! That'd be AWESOME!**

**Alright, ****Selestyna Arpa364****, your turn to update now!**

**The aria for this chapter is from Bizet's **_**Carmen**_**. I guarantee you've heard it before, but look up the lyrics, and it was just too perfect for me to resist. Find the version on YouTube sung by Denise Greaves. A-FREAKING-MAZING!**

**BTW, ****Sorrelshift****, OMG PLOT BUNNIES! PLOT BUNNEHZ GALORE! THEY HAVE BECOME FLYIN MINT BUNNEHZ AND ATTACK ME IN MY SLEEP!**

**I am severely sleep deprived.**

**Ciao, miei amici!**

**~La Principessa Dell'Opera**

**P.S.**

"**Il Ragazzo Della Via Gluck" is sung by Ariano Celentano**

"**Hey there, Delilah" is sung by Plain White Tees**

"**El Reloj" is by Luis Miguel**

**Muy bien- Very good (Spanish)**

"**Stop and Stare" is sung by ONEREPUBLIC**


	4. Chapter 3: Culture Shock

**I do not own Ouran, Mozart, Halloween, or anything ever mentioned in this story EVER with the exception of Dani, her nutty Dad, and Shizu. Everything else belongs to their respective owners. Not me. Lord, if I owned half of what was in this chapter, I'd be able to pay my college tuition on my own!**

Chapter Three:

Culture Shock

_Or_

Eine kleine Nachtmusik

Dani left the North building, rather overwhelmed by what had happened. First day and she'd already been pegged as one of the hottest, richest, smartest _guys_ in the entire school! Not to mention that she was a foreigner. Well, it wasn't their fault that she was actually a girl. It was good that they fell for her disguise so well, and so completely, that she fooled even the girls into thinking that she herself was a guy!

Except Mori.

Dani flushed so red it spread down her neck. He had found out her sex in the most embarrassing, obvious way possible, besides grabbing her in a different area. She felt violated.

Dani adjusted her grip on her guitar bringing a hand up self-consciously to her chest. Then she realized she didn't know where on campus she was. She stopped, looked around, and decided she'd be better off if she headed back the way she came.

She turned around and walked smack into a solid object. It surprised her so much she fell flat on her butt. She tilted her hat so that she could look up; she flushed again.

Standing right in front of her was the one person at Ouran who knew better: Mori.

Dani scrambled up, her face so red she could see it. She fumbled for her guitar case and bookbag. She mumbled a quick "sorry" and tried to quickly walk past, but he put a firm hand on her arm and drew her back in front of him. He tilted her hat up, then gently cupped her chin and raised her face so that he could look at her, his eyes searching hers. Dani's heart raced with an emotion she couldn't pinpoint, but made her feel a bit giddy.

_His eyes are beautiful_, she thought, almost involuntarily. Unlike some of the boys back home whose eyes were cold and lustful, Mori's eyes were a warm, smiling, deep black, with sparks of something lighting them up and intriguing her. _Eyes truly are windows into men's souls_…

All at once, she remembered who she was wondering about, and she blushed again, turning her gaze down again. His thumb traced her cheek gently, but he withdrew his hand quickly, as if he had just remembered also. Dani drew her hat down so that he couldn't see her anymore.

"You're a girl," Mori stated. Dani wanted to burst into tears. Only her first day and she'd already been found out.

"Yes," she whispered affirmative.

"Why?"

Dani's head snapped up. "Why am I a girl?" _ Do they not teach biology here?_ she thought. Mori shook his head.

"Why are you pretending to be a guy?" he asked her. Dani heaved a great sigh, suddenly extremely weary, and scratched her head under her hat.

"It's a long story, Mori-sempai," she muttered.

"I have time," he answered half-turning away, indicating they should walk together. Not thinking quickly of a suitable excuse to run away quickly enough, Dani fell in step beside Mori.

"I am the daughter of the owner of a well-known shipping company. My father brought me here to Japan from Mexico, and enrolled me at Lobelia's Girls Academy," Dani started to explain, and she was off. It was easier to keep talking without interruption, and not once did Mori indicate that she should stop. The few times she looked at him for encouragement or discouragement, he had been gazing at her steadily, listening attentively. When she mentioned needing staples and stitches, Mori frowned a little, but did not say a word.

"—so Dad thought that the best way to make sure it didn't happen again was to disguise me as a boy, and sent me here." Dani finished. Mori nodded thoughtfully.

"What's your name?" He asked her. She was taken aback, and answered without thinking.

"Danica."

He stared at her blankly.

"It means 'morning star'," Dani said, wondering if it meant anything to him. She suddenly realized that they had stopped outside of her house.

"It suits you," Mori said, turning to leave, but Dani grabbed his arm, her eyes shining with earnestness.

"Mori, please don't tell anyone. No one is supposed to know that I'm really a girl. Please don't tell. I know you didn't mean to find out, but now that you know, please don't tell." Her voice was high, breathy, and unmistakably girlish, further testimony to her sex. But she didn't care. She could get in a lot of trouble if he didn't keep his silence, and not just from Lobelia girls.

Mori gazed at her unwaveringly and seriously. "Alright."

Dani sighed with relief, and her grip slackened on his arm. As she let him go, her fingers brushed his, making a peculiarly pleasant, hot feeling shoot up her arm to her heart, spreading all over her body. "Thank you." The feeling puzzled her, but she was too relieved to give it much thought. Mori turned and walked away, and Dani ran to the refuge of Rosecliff.

"¡_Mecacho_!" she yelled as soon as the door slammed behind her. She tore upstairs to her rooms, and stopped in front of a mirror.

A very handsome young man stared back at her. He was still slightly red, but it looked good on him. His uniform looked amazing on him, and the way he held himself was self-assured, cool, confident.

"Who is this?" Dani asked the empty room, the reflection mocking her. She shed her hat, jacket and tie, and her reflection looked a little more like the person she used to be.

She went into her enormous closet and pulled out her Mexican clothes. The shirt was embroidered colorfully with birds and flowers, the long full skirt a bright blue, also embroidered colorfully. She quickly put them on and took a deep breath, smelling Mexico again.

Her phone began to ring and Dani took her time answering it. "Hullo?"

"DANI!"

Dani jerked the phone away from her ear as her dad screeched on the other end of the line. "_Che_!"

"If you got out of your uniform, GET BACK IN IT! We've been invited to dinner at the Suoh's!"

Dani hung up the phone, flung it on her bed, tore off her clothes, and hurriedly tried to bind herself again. When she had finally struggled back into her shirt, she washed her face, redid her tie (which took admittedly a while), threw on her jacket, shoes and pants, grabbed her hat and ran down the stairs as her father's limo pulled up.

"Good job, Dani. That was a five minute warning," Oelrichs said as Dani gasped for air. She gave him an evil look.

"Why couldn't you have let me know earlier?" she demanded.

"I just received the call."

"Oh."

One street down and they arrived at a mansion just as large and grand as their own. Oelrichs designed his mansion after Rosecliff, a summer mansion in Newport, Rhode Island that his family had owned but sold during the Great Depression. However their mansion was three times Rosecliff's size. And the Suoh mansion was just as large.

The chauffeur opened the door and Dani imitated her father getting out of the car. Suoh opened the door and greeted them.

"Dani, no one but Suoh and I know your gender. Let's keep it that way," Oelrichs muttered to her as he shook Suoh's hand. Suoh winked at her. Dani felt her ears turn red with shame, Mori's face floating to the forefront of her mind. She bowed silently to Suoh.

Suoh led them inside and introduced them to his mother, a formidable old woman who smiled kindly at Dani. Dani smiled widely back, fighting her shy nature that was telling her to hide behind her father. After a few minutes of pleasantries in the parlor, dinner was announced.

Dani offered her arm to Suoh's mother and escorted her in, trying to ignore Suoh and Oelrichs's snickering.

They sat (Dani gaping inwardly at the grandeur of just the dining service. Real silver!), Suoh at the head of the table, his mother to his left, Oelrichs to his right and Dani on her father's other side. They dug into their appetizer: giant shrimp in some sort of creamy sauce that smelled reeeeeeeally good, and when Dani saw no one would give grace, she quietly folded her hands, whispered a prayer in Spanish, made the Sign of the Cross, and looked up to see Suoh's mother staring at her, hard.

"So, Dani, how was your first day back in school?" Suoh asked conversationally, making Dani choke on her shrimp. Oelrichs nodded. Dani swallowed as best as she could, in the most guy-like way possible, and smiled.

"I got lost a few times. If Kyoya and Tamaki weren't in all of my classes I would have been hopelessly lost and probably would have wandered to the middle school!" Suoh and Oelrichs laughed uproariously, but at what, Dani had no idea. But she looked around and didn't see Tamaki. "By the way, where is Tamaki, sir?"

Everyone froze and silence that could be sliced with a knife filled the room. The tension was so thick that Dani could nearly taste it, and it didn't taste good. She hurriedly put another shrimp in her mouth.

"Sooo…about that economical downturn in the United States, eh? I know I didn't vote for Obama!" Oelrichs said very loudly, breaking the silence. He and Suoh staged a loud and desperate conversation about America's economy. Suoh's mother glared daggers at Dani who meekly finished her shrimp and waited for the entrée.

Lobster and mussels followed the shrimp, and the rest of the meal was spent trying to ignore the awkward, angry tension that filled the room. Dessert passed without Dani knowing what she ate. Finally they stood and went back to the parlor, however Suoh's mother excused herself, taking the awkwardness with her.

As soon as the doors closed, Suoh and Oelrichs pounced on Dani, hissing for her _never_ to mention Tamaki in front of his grandmother again.

"Why? And how was I supposed to know that?" she demanded, no longer acting like a guy.

"Well, you weren't, but now we have no choice but to tell you," Oelrichs said. Suoh straightened.

"Tamaki is my illegitimate son."

_It all makes sense_, Dani thought as Suoh explained his son's predicament. It certainly was a crappy situation.

"Oh," Dani said when he finished explaining. "Gotcha. That _sucks_!"

"So that is why you _cannot_ mention his name in front of her. He's working to get in her good graces still. So far, he still has to live in Mansion Two."

"Two!" Dani couldn't believe the amount of wealth Suoh had. "Geez."

"It's about two doors down from your mansion, come to think of it," Suoh added. Dani blanched.

"So there's a high possibility he'll see me as a girl!" she shrieked. They nodded. Dani's head dropped. "Urgh."

Oelrichs shook his head at her. Suoh adopted a sly look on his face and asked "So how was your first day at Ouran?"

Dani's head shot up. "You gave information to Tamaki and Kyoya Ootori about me _why_!"

Suoh laughed and Oelrichs grinned. "Have you been recruited to the famous Host Club?"

"I have, as a matter of fact."

Suoh did an uncharacteristic jig. "We hoped you would."

"_Why!_"

"First off, they are a group of very well-connected young men, all extremely smart. Second, they are hiding a girl in their midst—"

"Haruhi Fujioka."

"Oh, you figured her out?"

Dani shrugged. "It wasn't hard."

"Well done. And third, it is an all boys club. No one would suspect you," Suoh finished.

_All except Mori_, Dani thought wryly.

"Well, good job, I'm now a host. The artistic host," she informed them. They laughed uproariously and Dani stewed in slight resentment for having her life manipulated again by these two. "I feel like I have two gay dads," she mumbled. "Alright you've had your laughs, now leave me be. Let _me_ direct my life from now on. Enough meddling," she told them. They continued laughing. Dani rolled her eyes and sat down at the piano on the other side of the room.

Oelrichs looked at her fondly. Even as a boy she had a dreamy, far away nature that put a sweet, welcoming look in her eyes, and an almost sexy half-smile on her face. And that's how she looked right now, immersed in her music.

Suoh smiled slightly as he saw Oelrichs watching Dani with obvious adoration. It was the same look he wore when he looked at Tamaki. An idea bloomed in his head. Tamaki had no girlfriend, and Dani was obviously single. Perhaps Suoh could make his mother accept Tamaki if he married—or at least dated—an advantageous business partner. It would strengthen the ties between Suoh and Oelrichs; their partnership was extremely beneficial. And the one thing his mother ever cared about was the company. If he could persuade these two to date, or at least pretend to…things might work out very well for his son.

Two hours later, Dani was practicing her piano with impeccable fingers, playing so hard it seemed almost impossible for music to be played. But this time, she was learning new songs for the Host Club. Right then, she was playing Debussy, next was Chopin. And music wasn't the only thing running through her head.

_Will he tell? Can I trust him? What will happen if they find out? Will they tell the school? Will they tell Lobelia? Is Haruhi's secret really safe with them? Is there actual danger of a girl falling in love with me? If they find out will they let me stay? Will they hate me? Will I have to leave Japan in disgrace and return to Mexico, live my life in squalor? Will the sons use their influence over their fathers to ruin my father's business? Will I be able to escape Japan? What would Mamá say?_

With a final chord, Dani slammed the piano closed, ignoring the Chopin piece, and putting an end to the music and her mental torture. Her duty was to be a guy, and entertain women. Anything else she'd deal with if it came up. If.

The next day, Dani found herself being followed by whispers and giggling fangirls. It unnerved her but she found _this_ instant fame was warmer, friendlier, unfrenzied. Guys approached her for friendly conversations in which a variety of topics were discussed. Girls shyly asked Dani about herself, but especially life in Mexico. Tamaki and Kyoya were her constant companions through all of it.

"This is a little unnerving," she admitted to them later.

"Well, news travels fast around here, especially in regards to the club," Kyoya answered, his microphysics book open in front of him. Tamaki was doodling the club members' names. He spelled Dani's name "Danny".

"So the club is extremely popular. Is it open every day? How does it work? Do girls just come in, or set up times, or what?"

Kyoya launched into a long and detailed description about club management, costs, hours, procedures, special events, and more. Dani absorbed all that he told her.

But Kyoya—surprisingly!—kept talking. There was something about Dani that invited him to keep talking, long after it was alright for him to stop. But Dani asked all the right questions, said all the right things, and remembered everything. Kyoya was a bit uneasy by his uncharacteristic talkativeness—and friendliness!—but it was good to have someone not only listen, but want to know more. Perhaps it was a Mexican thing.

No, it was definitely just a Dani thing, and soon she learned that she didn't have to do anything different that what she usually did. She played, sang, and listened intently. Her memory was impeccable. When she talked about herself, she gave tiny amounts of information, preferring to speak of class, music, Japan, the different languages, her father, her mother, the girls themselves, sometimes ask questions of her own, but mostly, she loved talking about her beloved Mexico.

The girls were enchanted by this handsome, talented foreigner who obviously loved his music and country. Dani charmed them with traditional Mexican music such as "Las Golondrinas," "De Colores," "Cielito Lindo," and more on her guitar, and then played modern popular music.

It was a week after Dani had joined the Host Club and she was seated at a piano, playing and singing Owl City's song "Vanilla Twilight." By now, Dani's clientele had skyrocketed, and she was giving Tamaki a run for his money as most requested host. Tamaki was sulking about it.

"Mama?" Tamaki asked rather pathetically.

"Yes, Daddy?" Kyoya replied, readying his patience.

"Why is he so popular, and all my princesses like him better?"

"He's a new addition. Remember when Haruhi first joined? When she stopped being new, some customers resumed with their previous hosts. Besides, he's brought much more revenue in." It was true. There were even some middle school girls around Dani, listening in awe. "This club has become much more successful with the addition of Haruhi and Dani. And the duty of a host is to make every girl happy, right?"

Tamaki pouted. "Yeah…" The twins slinked up.

"Hey, Boss!" they exclaimed in unison. Tamaki turned to them. "Do you think Dani's hiding something? He never talks about himself."

Tamaki thought for a moment, his emo-ness forgotten. "No, I think he may just be a bit different than us. We're Japanese, and he isn't at all. So it's probably just a cultural difference." Haruhi came up beside them.

"You might be right, sempai, but I think that's just him. He's like that with everyone. Besides, you're half-French."

"Oh, Haruhi, you're so clever!" Tamaki gushed, and went on and on. Hunny bounced up, leaving Mori to the guests, and watching Usa-chan.

"Tama-chan, Tama-chan! My parents went to Mexico once! They said that Mexicans are really poor, and they talk a lot!" Everyone (except Kyoya) turned to stare at Dani who was singing "Go the Distance," alternating Spanish and English verses.

"Dani's…_poor!_" Tamaki gasped.

"He walks to and from school," Kyoya offered.

"And he can't afford a hairdresser," Hikaru added, staring at the long, rather unruly ringlets of hair that peeked out from under the fedora.

"He's Richard Oelrichs's son," a deep voice behind them said. They turned to look at Mori.

"Oelrichs…my father's friend?" Tamaki asked. Mori nodded.

"I heard Dani tell his customers that his father found him in Mexico without enough food on the table!" Kaoru added. Tamaki, Hunny, and Hikaru freaked.

"He's a true rags-to-riches story! It's so beautiful!" Tamaki sniffed.

"Real life Cinderella!" the twins sobbed. Haruhi slapped her hand to her forehead.

"Damn rich people," she muttered, wandering away for more coffee. Dani looked up to see the twins, Tamaki, and Hunny getting teary-eyed. She shook her head and returned to the customers.

After the club had closed for the day, the hosts sat around, rather tired.

"Oh September," Hikaru lamented. Dani grinned and strummed her guitar.

"_Wake me up when September ends_," she sang, grinning. The hosts chuckled. Tamaki sat up straight and beckoned to the rest of them to sit around the table he was at the head of.

"Alright, I know it's just the first week of September, but time flies when we're having fun—"

"Who's having fun?" the twins asked in unison, identical looks of innocence on their mischievous faces. Tamaki slithered out of his chair and under the table where he proceeded to roll up into a little ball and rock back and forth, whimpering. The twins grinned at each other and high-fived. Dani looked under the table.

"I'm having fun, Tamaki," she stated, hoping it'd get him out of his funk. Tamaki whimpered. Rolling her eyes, Haruhi reached under the table and hauled Tamaki back into his seat.

"Come on, sempai, I've got homework," she told him curtly. Tamaki snapped out of it and resumed what he was saying.

"Anyway, we need to start thinking about this semester's events, especially Christmas and Halloween!"

The twins hummed in thought. Hunny put another slice of cake in his mouth, Kyoya kept typing on his computer, Haruhi sighed, Dani thoughtfully bit her lip, and Mori blinked.

"Well, obviously we have to have something going on at Halloween," Hikaru started.

"How about a costume contest?" Kaoru asked.

"Or a haunted house theme?"

"Or a zombie theme?"

"Oh! Vampires vs. werewolves like that one American book thing!"

"It was werewolves? I thought it was Frankenstein."

"I _think_ it was werewolves…"

"How about a masquerade ball?" Dani piped up, interrupting Hikaru and Kaoru's mini dialogue. Everyone looked at her. She strummed a few chords. "Just a thought."

The twins smiled evilly. Hunny's eyes grew rounder. Mori looked interested. Kyoya started typing faster with a conniving look on his face. Tamaki stood and pointed at Dani with a dramatic finger and wind blowing his hair and jacket around. Haruhi got up and closed the window.

"DANI, YOU ARE A GENIUS! ALL IN FAVOR OF A MASQUERADE BALL SAY 'OUI'!"

"_Dire che cosa ora? ¿Nosotros?_" Dani asked. Tamaki stared at her for a moment, confused, before he amended his statement.

"ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF A MASQUERADE BALL FOR HALLOWEEN SAY 'ME'!"

"US!" the twins shouted.

"ME!" Hunny squeaked.

"Mmm," Mori grunted.

"I," Kyoya stated.

"I guess so," Haruhi mumbled.

"_¡Yo!_" Dani added. Tamaki slammed his hand on the table.

"Then the motion is passed! We will have a Masquerade Ball on Halloween evening!" There was a smattering of applause and smiles all around.

"_Bene!_ Now, will someone tell me what Halloween is?" Dani asked. The hosts looked around at her, their eyes wide with shock. Dani kept smiling brightly and stiffened in her chair. Those looks meants she was about to be seized and dragged somewhere.

Sure enough the twins pounced on her, Hunny drew the blinds, Kyoya set up a projector, and Mori put in a DVD to play. Tamaki stood in front of the screen wearing a cap and gown, a pointer in his finger. Hikaru plopped a bag of popcorn in Dani's lap and began munching on his own.

"Halloween is a universal holiday wherein both children and adults dress up in ridiculously cliché costumes and go from door to door on October thirty-first asking for candy and treats. This tradition is called trick-or-treating," Tamaki began and went on and on about the pagan origins of All Hallow's Eve, Halloween parties, and cliché costumes. Dani got three refills of popcorn.

"So what'd you think?" Tamaki asked once the presentation was over. Dani stood and dusted her fingers off.

"Wow," she stated. The hosts stared at her.

"That's it?" the twins asked. They kept staring at her and she kept smiling pleasantly, her eyes a little glazed. Tamaki waved a hand in front of her face. No response.

"Uh, boss?" Hikaru asked. Tamaki turned to him.

"I think you broke him," Kaoru finished. Dani hadn't blinked.

Hunny's eyes filled with tears. "Dani short-circuited!"

Kyoya rolled his eyes. "No, he's just in shock."

Tamaki frowned in confusion. "Shock from what?"

"Culture shock," Dani answered robotically. The hosts jumped in surprise. "I've never celebrated or heard of Halloween until today." Everyone's jaws dropped some dramatically (like Tamaki's) and some subtly (like Kyoya).

"Really, Dani-chan? What do you celebrate?" Hunny asked wide-eyed.

"Well as a practicing Catholic I celebrate All Saints Day on November first. As a Mexican I celebrate El Día de los Muertos on November second."

The hosts' faces were blank. Dani sighed. She pulled out a skull from behind the chair she had been placed in and held it up. Tamaki yelped and glomped Kyoya in fear.

"'Alas poor Yorick. I knew him, Horatio, a man of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy.' Shakespeare's _Hamlet_. All Saints Day we revere and pray to God for the souls of the saints in his care. On the Day of the Dead however, we make fun of death, clean our family's graves, and honor the dead. Because they're not really gone," Dani looked at the skull in her hand and laughed. The twins jaws hit the floor.

Dani launched into her own explanation of El Día de los Muertos and the traditions that went with it. She also explained that this would be the first year she and her mother wouldn't be together to clean Nonna and Abuelito's graves. The hosts were silent.

"Mexicans have some crazy customs," Hikaru remarked. Dani raised an eyebrow at him, showing her annoyance.

"Japanese aren't any better you know," she retorted. Hikaru looked like he wanted to argue, but then stopped, and seemed to think about it.

"Wow, it must really have been difficult for you to adjust when you first moved here, huh Dani?" Tamaki asked, placing a friendly hand on her shoulder. Dani nodded.

"It was quite the eye-opener. But I can't say I don't like it," she replied, smiling. She put her guitar away. Tamaki teared up.

"This…this will be…DANI'S FIRST HALLOWEEN! LET'S MAKE IT THE BEST HALLOWEEN EVER!" he announced dramatically, throwing an arm around Dani's shoulders and the other in the air, making himself shimmer. The twins whooped and glomped Haruhi who looked thoroughly disgruntled, and Hunny grabbed Mori's hands jumping up and down excitedly. Kyoya merely sighed and jotted something down in his notebook, and Mori watched Dani from over top Hunny's head (which was admittedly not very difficult). Dani fought to keep a straight face. These were some crazy friends she had. But as she was lifted into the air by Tamaki and the twins and given Usa-chan to hold on their trek to the Closet to find "the perfect costume for their Mexican's first ever Halloween" she knew she wouldn't trade them for the world.

_Madre de Dios_, Dani thought, _if I had the choice to come here to Ouran as a girl before I got beaten up and be a customer or to be beaten up and become a host and have these friends, I'd paint a target on my chest in a heartbeat_.

**Hi there!**

**I had a midterm yesterday. Yes. A midterm. My hand cramped. Oh Shakespeare, what I do for love of you!**

**It occurred to me the other day what Shakespeare makes his heroines do for love. Helena sold out her best friend, Hermia ran away from home, Viola cross-dressed and wooed another woman for the man she was in love with, Desdemona was murdered, Ophelia went mad, Lady MacBeth murdered a king, Titania gave up her best friend's child, Juliet committed suicide, Miranda watches her father treat her beloved like dirt, Julia helps her beloved's mistress escape her home, Hero lets her name be slandered and fakes her death, and so much more. These poor women! Good Lord!**

**In case no one understood Dani's last thought, if she had the choice between going to Ouran before the Lobelia Incident and avoiding the beating or after, she'd willingly submit to the beating if it meant having these nutjobs as friends.**

**Aaaaaaw. FRIENDSHIP! (Yes Tea, we know. CARDGAMESFTW!)**

**I had a few things I wanted to say, but I forgot. My mind is slowly imploding on itself. Quite entertaining to watch. Especially when I'm in the middle of learning a dance.**

**I can't dance. I just learn SNSD's routines. Currently, I'm working on "Genie". I already learnt Brown Eyed Girls' "Abracadabra." That hip motion is harder than it looks!**

**The music for this chapter is Mozart's "A Little Night Music". I can't tell you how many times my sister has played that in orchestra. Doesn't stop me from loving it though! Have you noticed my favorite composer is Mozart? He is. I love him. He composed for my voice. Okay, not really, but he might as well have!**

**And I got a reviewer saying "warn your readers that Dani is not a mary-sue!" so now I will.**

**DANICA ELIZABETH PERETTI-OELRICHS IS NOT A MARY-SUE.**

**Dani sings in six different languages. So can I. She speaks English, Spanish, and Italian. So do I. She plays multiple string instruments. So does my friend who is sitting next to me and demanding I not put her name in this AN. Dani is mostly a reflection of myself, only much more politer and with more instruments in her repertoire. My OCs are reflections of people in my life, so there you have it. :) **

**I feel odd having admitted that.**

**Anyhow! Please leave me a review! Reviews are love, and make an author more likely to update! Seriously. Let's see…When I get 25 reviews I'll update again. Because I know more than five of you are following this story *COUGH-STORYALERTNINJAS-COUGHCOUGH!***

**So! Get me up to 25 reviews and I'll give you an extra wonderful chapter of insanity. Because let's face it: there is no way any of those hosts are in the right state of mind 24/7. I betcha even Kyoya's off his rocker somehow. I mean, he's best friends with Tamaki for starters.**

**I want Tamaki to be my best friend. :D**

**Until next time my dear friends!**

**With love,**

**~La Principessa Dell'Opera**

**P.S.**

**Mecacho- bloody hell, goddamnit (Spanish. There's not a satisfactory translation for this word. It's merely an expletive exclamation, and not a strong one. It's more common in Spain, though)**

**Che- What (Italian)**

**Dire che cosa ora- Say what now (Italian)**

**Nosotros- We (Spanish)**

**Yo- I, me (Spanish)**

**Madre de Dios- Mother of God**

**El Día de los Muertos- Day of the Dead. Traditional Mexican holiday. Wikipedia it for a general gist.**


	5. Chapter 4: Strangest of Commissions

**I own nothing. Only Dani and her Dad. If I owned anything else…God knows what I'd do with the money. Probably build a swimming pool and swim in my money like Scrooge McDuck. Wow! That is such a great idea! Copyright that, Steven. That's brilliant. (I also don't own Scrooge McDuck or Tobuscus or Steven. Darn…)**

Chapter Four:

Strangest of Commissions

_Or_

Tsumetai Yoru

One afternoon the hosts opened the door to the clubroom and found the entire place completely transformed. It seemed as if autumn had suddenly abandoned the outdoors in favor of the one room inside the North hall. Everywhere they looked there were brilliant shades of scarlet, vermillion, gold, sage green, and orange. The coffee tables had been removed and replaced with bundles of hay over which a burgundy, deep yellow, or muted green tablecloth was placed, handmade clay jars with sunflowers, marigolds and ferns placed carefully on top. Pumpkins, gourds and squash were placed decoratively and strategically around the room, and two scarecrows were on either side of the doorway, dressed in the Ouran uniforms. And strewn on the floor, couches, and tables were real leaves that had been pressed to perfection to preserve their color. The gaping hosts didn't notice Dani in front of them until she exclaimed "¡_oralé_!"

"I couldn't help myself, _ragazzi_, it's the middle of September and the leaves were so beautiful, I just had to bring it inside," she explained. The artist within her had been dying to paint the beautiful trees, and she had, but she wanted to share the beauty she saw with her friends.

"Dani, how much did this cost?" Kyoya asked tersely. He had an extremely dangerous look on his face. Hikaru, Kaoru, Tamaki, Hunny, and Mori had all discovered the enormous haystack in the corner and were busy sliding down it. Haruhi was inspecting a leaf interestedly.

"_Che? ¿Cuanto cuesta? Nada_," Dani answered, grinning. Kyoya glared at her until she realized he had no idea what she had said. "Nothing, Kyoya. I just used the resources available to me." Everyone froze and stared at her.

"All of this didn't cost a thing?" Tamaki asked sounding rather squished as he was on the bottom of a pile of twins. Dani shook her head smiling. _Dio_, she had been smiling so much! She loved it.

"No. The leaves were easy. I gathered the largest and prettiest leaves I could find, and to preserve them, you iron them with wax paper. The wax preserves the leaf. The pumpkins, squash, gourds, apples, and flowers are from my own gardens. We had so much that we had no idea what to do with it all. Scarecrows I made with leftover hay and those uniforms were thrown out because there was something wrong with the hemming or something, so I took them, the bundles of hay were just sitting in my shed just waiting to be used. The clay water jugs, cups, and jars I made by hand, traditional Mexican style. The clay actually preserves the flowers and gives the cider a unique taste. The tablecloths I pulled out of storage and Dad said we wouldn't need them for now." The silence following Dani's little speech made her chuckle. Everyone was staring at Dani in abject shock. Kyoya—despite his cool demeanor and nothing-ever-fazes-me attitude—dropped his pen and let his mouth fall open. Dani held up the tray she was carrying and offered it to Kyoya. On it were seven large glazed clay mugs holding steaming hot apple cider. He took one and stared at it. She offered it to everyone: Haruhi took a deep sniff and sighed contentedly before sipping it, the twins toasted Dani and took deep gulps, Hunny drank his straight down his eyes widening every time he swallowed, Tamaki let his cool before he drank and smacked his lips delightedly when he did, Mori smiled at Dani before taking a drink, making her ears feel extremely hot. Good Lord she was glad she always wore a fedora!

"How did you come up with this, Dani?" Tamaki asked, drinking his second mug. Dani shrugged.

"Artists see things differently. That's what gave me the idea. And then Dad started breaking out autumn decorations for the house and I thought I could do that here, so I did."

"Without spending a single yen?" Kaoru piped up. Dani nodded.

"When you have nothing, you do the best you can with what's available," she replied. Tamaki started to tear up just like he always did whenever she mentioned (however casually or passively) her poverty in Mexico. Kyoya looked immensely impressed, and excessively happy. A purple cloud of Kyoya Happiness was growing around him.

"Dani, I am impressed. Well done," he said and patted her back as he set up his laptop on one of the bundles of hay. The twins' eyes widened.

"Kyoya-sempai—"

"—just admitted to being impressed!"

"THE WORLD IS ENDING!" they yelled in unison and began running around the room in a blind panic.

"If you break one of my jars, _muchachos_, I won't hesitate to hurt you," Dani warned. They slowed, but didn't stop running. Dani rolled her eyes good-naturedly and refilled Kyoya's mug.

Business exploded that day. Hunny's customers—instead of the usual cake and tea—raved about Dani's cider, pecan and pumpkin pies. Dani was glad. That was the first time she had ever made a pie, and she and the pastry chef at home—a smiley man she called Tio Aoyuma-san—had slaved over the pies last night, especially since it was her first time making such an American dessert. There were two more weeks left until October, and already there was an air of expectancy for Halloween. Dani was sure her first Halloween would be quite interesting.

Closing the door to the clubroom, Dani sighed contentedly. Her decorations had been a success. She was so worried they wouldn't be accepted. She was the last one to leave today since she was busy carefully putting her new oil painting away. It was half-finished and Dani had plans to sell it. Maybe one of the customers would be interested in it.

"Dani?" a voice said behind her. Gasping in shock and fear, Dani whirled around and aimed a punch at the person, only to have her fist caught in their hand. Dani looked up: Mori. She backed away, breathing rapidly, a hand on her chest.

"_Dio_, Mori, you cannot scare me like that!" she panted, trying to calm her racing heart. She looked up and saw he was smiling at her, his eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Sorry," he replied, taking her guitar from her hands. They fell in step and left the North building.

It had become a habit of theirs, after Mori had found out her secret. Every day he'd wait for her, and walk her home. Dani saw the strange looks the twins gave him and her, and Dani saw the sly smiles Hunny had when he insisted that Mori stay with Dani and walk "him" home because "if something happens to Dani-chan, he can't defend himself when he's holding a guitar!" But she was sure that those looks were because Mori had almost abandoned his cousin, even at Hunny's urging to stay with Dani.

It made her uncomfortable, knowing that he was the only one that knew better, but she was also secretly relieved that he'd walk with her since Hunny was right. She had once asked her dad why she just couldn't be dropped off and picked up by the chauffeur or him every day. Or even have a car of her own. Oelrichs looked at her seriously and said "I won't have you getting lazy. Remember where you're from. Just because you're a rich American girl now doesn't mean that you forget your Mexican _barrios_. Know that wealth doesn't last forever. Tomorrow we could be in an apartment in Yokohama without any of this finery around us. Would you like to forget how to take care of yourself? Remember Danica, that you have an advantage over everyone. You can live at the bottom of the bottom, you thrive at the top of the top. You are a young lady and gentleman. You know the best and the worst of this world. And you're still able to smile and see the good in people. So I don't think walking those few blocks to and from school are going to kill you." At the end of his speech he grinned. Dani arched an eyebrow saucily at him.

"I thought you were old money, Dad?" He had laughed at her and nudged her in the ribs with his elbow, knocking her off the piano bench. They laughed a lot together, like Dani had with her mother.

They walked silently for a while, until Dani gasped. Mori turned to look at her and was disconcerted when he saw that her eyes were impossibly wide and her hand was clapped over her mouth.

"What is today's date, Mori-sempai?" she asked breathlessly.

"September fifteenth," he answered. Dani gasped again.

"_¡Madre de Dios! ¡Mañana es el Día de la Independencia! ¡Debo hablar con mi madre!_" she exclaimed. She began muttering incomprehensible Spanish. Mori tried to get her attention, but she was so distracted that she didn't stop talking until three minutes later when he put a finger on her lips to shush her. She flushed a spectacular shade of red. "What?"

"What are you talking about?" he asked her. She blinked, and then realized what she had been saying.

"Oh. Tomorrow is Mexico's Independence Day! All schools and businesses are closed to celebrate! It is a big party!" Her accent was stronger the faster she talked and more excited she became. Mori's lips twitched in mirth, and his eyes sparkled with the laughter he wouldn't express.

"Ah." They walked on, or rather, Mori walked on. Dani was bouncing, skipping, singing the Mexican National Anthem under her breath, and wriggling like a puppy in excitement. She didn't notice how Mori fought for a straight face the entire time.

Halfway back to Rosecliff, Dani's cell phone began to ring. She fished it out of her pocket and answered with a bright "_Ciao_!"

"Dani, this is Kyoya."

Dani rolled her eyes good naturedly and mouthed _Kyoya_ to Mori who nodded in acknowledgement. "I know that, what's up?"

"My father requests the honor of your father's and your own presence for dinner tonight at seven." Mori checked his watch.

"That's in half an hour," he told her. She mock-pouted.

"On behalf of my father, we accept. I think. I'm pretty sure we don't having anything going on tonight."

"Excellent. We will see you at seven o'clock _sharp_. Bring your violin." He hung up abruptly. Dani stared at her phone for a moment.

"Why does he want me to bring my violin?" she mused aloud.

"His father likes to bully people into contracts. If you come with your own entertainment he'll be more inclined to think highly of your family," Mori answered. Dani stared at him.

"I have never heard you speak so much at one time!" she whispered in joking awe. Mori's lips twitched. They walked the rest of the way to Rosecliff in silence, Dani still smiling over her country's independence day. At Rosecliff they parted ways, but not before their fingers brushed on the guitar and Dani's ears caught fire.

Inside, the butler Suzumoto took Dani's guitar and directed her to her father's office. Dani had yet to actually hear him speak, so she made it a sort of game with him that he caught on to. He had so far managed to thwart her with sign language.

"I'll get you soon, _signore_. One day," she said mock seriously. He grinned and bowed, his way of saying _I'm sure you will._

"Hi Dani! How was school? Did the host club like the decorations?" Oelrichs asked when she opened the door. His reading glasses were perched on his nose and he peered over them to smile at her. Dani was struck by how very old her father looked for his age.

"Hi Dad! The decorations were _muy bien_! Customer attendance today tripled!" she exclaimed. He smiled at her and beckoned her over to him to give him a hug. She hugged him tightly and reveled in the feeling of being in her father's arms, something she didn't have as a child. She felt as if nothing could ever touch her if he held her. Her parent's arms meant safety, and Oelrichs was a strong man, and his embrace meant safety and protection. Dani wished again for the millionth time that she had had him with her in Mexico when she was a child and needed the comfort a father could give her. Did she have to grow up just yet?

"So, any plans for tonight?" he asked her, filing the documents he was reading away. Dani nodded.

"Kyoya invited us to dinner with him and his brothers and father. At seven, sharp." Oelrichs checked his watch.

"Alright, ask Mr. Honda to bring the limo around," he instructed as he turned off his computer and left the office. Dani giggled at the irony that was their chauffeur's name, and ran off, looking for Honda and the housekeeper Fumika. If Dani was in luck, Fumika had newly pressed one of Dani's uniforms to perfection. After being in one all day, it was time for a fresh one, especially if it was dinner with Kyoya's family.

At Ootori house, a stiff, no-nonsense butler took their light jackets and Dani's violin and ever-present fedora. Even if the hat was her trademark, she felt it'd be rude to not take it off indoors, especially at Kyoya's house.

They were ushered into a parlor and the butler announced them as they entered side-by-side. "Mr. Richard Oelrichs and his son Daniel Oelrichs." Dani did her best to keep a straight face as her name was announced as a very obvious boy's name. Three men and Kyoya stood at their entrance, and everyone bowed at the same time.

"Mr. Oelrichs, at last we meet. I have heard nothing but the highest praise of you from our friend, Mr. Suoh," Mr. Ootori said in perfect, formal, cold English.

"The pleasure is most certainly mine, Mr. Ootori. I have heard much of your work and I must admit to admiration for what you do," Oelrichs replied in just as perfect and formal Japanese, although his tone of voice was firm in warmth and warning. Ootori adjusted his glasses and smiled. Dani understood where Kyoya got the habit.

"Allow me to introduce my sons," Ootori said, gesturing beside him. Standing shoulder to shoulder with his father was "My eldest son, Yuuichi. He has already graduated medical school and works alongside me in the company." Slightly behind Yuuichi but still rather prominent was "My second son, Akito. Currently working towards his Bachelor's degree in Medicine and will go on to study it in graduate school." Then Kyoya stepped forward from behind his other brothers who completely obscured him from sight. "And my youngest child, Kyoya. I believe he and your son are in the same class." Ootori did not even spare Kyoya a glance. Kyoya just stared straight at Dani with a cold look in his eyes, and smiled semi-pleasantly.

"Very good to meet all three of you. May I have the pleasure of introducing my own child, Dani? My eldest of course. My other two are still in the States finishing school. Dani is a bright one as I'm sure Kyoya can attest to. I believe they are in the same club together in addition to the same class," Oelrichs said, a proud smile on his own face as he put a protective and loving arm around Dani's shoulders. Dani recognized this gesture: Ootori had seemed completely disinterested in his own children, speaking of them as if they were extra-smart pets he taught some amusing trick to. Oelrichs on the other hand displayed affection and pride in his child and knowledge of her as a person, showing Ootori that his relationships were not underdeveloped and therefore making himself all the more esteemed; if he did not neglect his relationships then the company was definitely prestigious.

"Nice to meet you, Daniel," Ootori said, not even sparing Dani a glance. She smiled politely.

"And you, sir. Hello Kyoya," she greeted an astonished but quickly recovered Kyoya. He nodded at her.

"Hello Dani."

They all sat and the grown-ups made small talk as Kyoya seemed politely interested and Dani observed her friend's family and her own father.

Richard Oelrichs was acting just as amiable as ever, however very formal and polite. Dani recognized the dangerous undertone of his voice as the tone he'd used on the chairman of St. Lobelia's. He sat straight even while leaning against the chair he was sitting on and the look in his eye was calculating and surprisingly disarming. Dani could understand why. Had her father merely been another generation of old money living off of centuries old fortunes, Ootori—who was very clearly new money—would look down on him and scoff. However if he acted like new money then Ootori would have no respect for him since he'd already had his own fortune before. Her father was walking a thin line, and from what she was observing, he was very successful.

Yoshio Ootori was a cold, intimidating, calculating man who didn't seem to know how to be quite human. Dani could hear that at one point he'd been a great public speaker; he knew how to twist his words well and say one thing but mean something else completely, a skill not unnoticed by her father. He was rather handsome, she supposed, and saw where Kyoya got his cold, aloof looks from. But he was a dangerous man to cross, she decided. All that wealth had to go somewhere, and she was sure that he had some measure of assurance—legal or illegal—to keep him secure in his place in society.

Yuuichi was a smart man. He brought up just as many intelligent points as his father did, but he lacked the coldness, the double way of speaking and calculating mind. He tried to make up for it by imitating his father, but Dani felt embarrassed for him because he was making a fool of himself. _If he relaxed_, Dani thought, _he could be great like his father, but in a different way_.

Dani didn't like Akito. He had a shrewish, sly look in his face that did not sit well with her, and made him nearly fox-like. He didn't speak much, only to extrapolate on different points occasionally, but the way he looked at herself and her father made her feel like a rabbit that knows it's being stalked by a fox. He had a single-mindedness about him that would have been a credit to him had he not used it to make Kyoya look foolish.

Kyoya did not speak unless he was spoken to, and he did only to bring a new angle to the argument, but not support it with what he was truly thinking. His usual air of confidence and ambition was so repressed by his brothers and father that Dani wondered at how he didn't explode. He smiled blandly throughout the entire conversation, but was hanging onto each word said, running it through his mind and possible scenarios, and coming to the best conclusion which was inevitably what his family did not arrive at. Dani was impressed. His mind was quick, his ambition unlimited, his heart compassionate. No matter how much he tried to be the scary mean vice-president (Dani had once heard the twins call him the "Shadow King"), he was kind. Why else would he keep the club afloat so perfectly? Why else would he have called Dani personally and told her to bring her violin? Why else would he have pulled so many strings behind the scenes to make sure his friends were taken care of? Why else would he have considered letting Dani join the club as a host (Dani didn't buy his "do it if it makes a profit" attitude one bit)? He may not have shown it outright, but his selflessness and compassion made him—in Dani's eyes—the natural successor to this massive Ootori empire his father had built.

So why was he being so neglected?

Kyoya looked over at that moment and noticed Dani's study of him. He inclined his head toward her and looked down at his clasped hands then back at his father. It hit her at that moment; he was the youngest son. He was supposed to sit back and thank his father and brothers profusely for anything they might throw to him. Dani felt bile welling up in the back of her throat. Kyoya put up with that sort of abuse? He'd just be a lackey for his father the rest of his life? Pretend to be content with what they might give him? No wonder he seemed so cruel. Life had been crueler to him. But then Dani noticed the shine of Kyoya's eyes. _Ah_, Dani thought. _He is bidding his time._

Dinner was announced and they were shown into a dining room that was very much like the house and its owner: large, cold, and intimidating. Ootori sat at the head of the table, Oelrichs directly to his right, Yuuichi on Oelrichs' other side. To Ootori's left was Akito, then Dani, then Kyoya. The seating arrangement did not go unnoticed by Dani who tried her best not to scowl at the beautiful cutlery in front of her (three gold forks! _Really?_). Ootori ignored the left side of the table for the most part, and that left Akito, Dani, and Kyoya to their own conversation.

"So you're Mr. Oelrichs' eldest?" Akito began. Dani felt Kyoya stiffen next to her as he took another bite of whatever they were eating (Dani really wasn't paying attention). Dani nodded.

"Yes, I have two younger siblings," she answered cautiously. She hoped this wasn't going to tread into awkward territory.

"Why are they not here tonight?"

"They're still in America, so that the youngest may finish American middle school."

"Ah." Akito took another bite, allowing Dani to do the same. "And what are they like?"

Dani did her best to remain calm and answer casually. "You'll just have to see when you meet them!"

Akito narrowed his eyes and was about to speak again when Dani turned to Kyoya and said rather desperately "What did you think of that physics lab we had today, Kyoya? I found it fascinating how the Van de Graff generator was affected by the magnet."

Kyoya and she began a highly complicated discussion about electricity arcs and magnetic pull that lasted almost the entire dinner. They were interrupted once by Ootori.

"Physics, Kyoya? And how do you suppose that will help your cause?" he condescended, taking a sip of wine.

"Physics is the study of matter and its motion through spacetime with other related concepts such as energy and force. It is a general analysis of nature which allows one to understand how the universe behaves. Isn't it a brilliant strategy to have a basic knowledge of matters that your doctors specialize in? One could separate quacks from the real minds," Dani answered easily. Kyoya spoke up with a smile plastered on his face.

"Physics plays a key role in chemistry, biology and mathematics. It would be wise to have an understanding of something that applies to what makes up a medical career," he added smoothly. His father's eyes narrowed so slightly that it almost didn't seem to happen, but he returned to the conversation with Oelrichs without any further commentary.

After dinner, they found themselves in the parlor again, and Kyoya spoke up.

"Dani, didn't you bring your violin? Would you play for us?" The butler entered at that moment carrying Dani's violin, and she took it, a little speechless. Ootori's surprised eyes bore into her hands as she pulled it from its case and tuned it. Yuuichi and Akito were exchanging glances that said clearly "more mediocre talent. Dad's a sucker."

And then Dani drew her bow across the strings as she began the "Dance of the Swans" from Tchaikovsky's _Swan Lake_.

Everything melted away. Dani's eyes were closed as she felt her fingers pressing and releasing strings, her hold on her bow relaxed. Horsehair wasn't moving against strings with a steel core…it was the rustle of wings as swans stretched and moved through silk-like water.

And suddenly it was over. Dani didn't realize her bow had stopped moving until her father clapped. She blinked a few times, bewildered. Ah yes, she was at Kyoya's house, playing violin for his unfeeling father and cold brothers. But the looks on their faces were of shock and admiration. Dani bit her lip, embarrassed. She glanced at Kyoya to gauge his reaction.

She was surprised to see his eyes were far away and glistening with a film of tears. He was obviously not in the room with them.

"Dani that was lovely. You just learned that this past summer, did you not?" Oelrichs asked, taking her violin from her and placing it in the case which was on his lap. Dani snapped out of her post-performing haze.

"O-oh, yes I did. I enjoy Tchaikovsky's music," she replied. Ootori adjusted his glasses. Dani was tempted to tell him to get contacts.

"Kyoya, why don't you take Daniel to your rooms and discuss your homework," he said pointedly. Kyoya recovered from his mind-trip and stiffened. He nodded without a word, and Dani followed him out of the room.

Dani didn't say a word as they walked through the house to Kyoya's rooms. Kyoya wasn't in a good mood after being kicked out of the parlor where there were obviously business matters being talked about.

Once in the privacy of his room, Kyoya closed the door and stormed over to the couch he proceeded to kick over. Dani watched him attack his furniture until he righted the room to its original immaculate state. Dani wanted nothing more than to hug him and commiserate, but she reasoned _that's not how Japanese guys roll_.

"You have more potential to be great than your father or brothers, you know," she stated from where she leaned against the closed door. Kyoya started and looked embarrassed that she had witnessed his outburst.

"Do not speak ill of my family," he told her, sitting down. Dani pushed herself off the door and strode over to the couch, leaning against an arm.

"I did no such thing. I merely stated an obvious fact," she replied defensively. He glanced out of the side of his eyes at her. Dani made herself relax into "guy-mode".

"It does not matter what you think. It only matters what my father does," Kyoya answered. Dani rolled her eyes.

"Keep telling yourself that, Kyoya. Anyway, why did you have me bring my violin?" she asked, plopping down on the floor, her head leaning on the couch as she stretched her neck muscles.

"I needed to further assess your musical talent. I have a proposal for you," he said, his notebook suddenly pulled out of nowhere ("his ass" Dani thought amusedly). Dani raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really."

"More of a commission, actually."

"Ah-huh."

"Would you be willing to compose and record a CD for the host club for distribution?"

Dani twisted around to look at him thoughtfully. "What would I compose, and for what instrument?"

"I'll leave that up to your discretion. I'd like to distribute it around Christmas, or possibly New Year's."

Dani thought about it for a moment. She'd never composed before. But how hard could it be? Especially when there is an entire club full of friends for inspiration…a light bulb went off in her head.

"Sure, I'll start composing soon." They shook hands on it. "So how's planning going for the masquerade ball?"

"Smoothly. We have the ballroom for the event which is good since many customers have already RSVP'd, and a full orchestra. The entire night will be spent dancing."

Dani panicked. "A _dance_?"

Kyoya nodded and gave her a look. "You do know how to dance, right?"

Dani laughed so hard she nearly fell over. "Kyoya, I grew up in the slums of Mexico City. Do you really think I learnt how to waltz there?" Kyoya ignored that statement.

"Well if you don't know how to dance, we're just going to have to teach you," he said, standing up and moving the coffee table. Dani freaked.

"W-wait, now?"

"We're not doing anything else, are we?"

"Well no, but—"

Kyoya held out his hand to her. "You're going to have to learn one way or another, Daniel." Dani grimaced.

"This is so weird," she grumbled as he pulled her over to stand in front of him. He placed her right hand on his left shoulder blade, and placed his right hand in her left. Then he forcibly pulled her along.

"You have to lead, Dani."

"If you actually taught me the steps first maybe I'd try that!" For the umpteenth time, she tripped on his feet and went smashing into the ground. Kyoya hauled her up again.

"You're a terrible student."

"And you're a crappy teacher."

Their banter went back and forth as Dani slowly got the gist of waltzing and was able to lead Kyoya haltingly around the room. He taught her a few turns and twirls and more basic steps and they were able to dance to music when a knock sounded at the door. The butler entered as Kyoya shut the music off.

"Mr. Oelrichs is ready to say his goodbyes," he said. Dani nodded, and she and Kyoya followed him out and back to the foyer where Oelrichs was holding Dani's violin. They said their brief goodbyes, Oelrichs assuring Ootori that there would be future business opportunities, and they left. In the limo, Oelrichs sighed heavily and put his arm around his daughter who snuggled close.

"What was the sigh for, Dad?" she asked. Oelrichs sighed again.

"I feel sorry for Kyoya and his brothers being raised by that man. It could not have been easy."

"Kyoya's very ambitious."

"He better be. If he wasn't, his father would have nothing to do with his youngest son."

Dani gasped. "Dad! That's not true, is it?"

Oelrichs gazed out the window sadly. "Unfortunately it is. He's got those two older brothers to compete with."

"Yes. What did you think of them?" Dani was curious.

"Yuuichi is a bright young man but is lacking something vital that is needed to be the head of something as enormous and prestigious as the Ootori group. Akito may be clever, but cleverness won't run a company. Kyoya would be the best choice. Look how he manages his life. He's class president and is top in his classes. He manages the host club and prevents it from going into bankruptcy—"

"Yeah, I bet that tea and cake and any other expenses Tamaki dreams up add up after a while."

"And he also balances the work he does for his father's company and whatever else he may do. That sort of organization is needed for a high-class group."

Dani sighed. Kyoya's situation sucked too. Why did her two best friends have such screwed up lives? _Not that mine's any better_, she mused.

"I inherited my company. As did my father, my grandfather, and great-grandfather. I was an only child, and it's been passed through the generations like the Ootori empire is. However mine has been around longer," Oelrichs explained. Dani stilled. Was he telling her what she thought he was? For as long as she could remember she didn't want the sort of work her father did, nor what odd jobs she'd held in Mexico. She wanted the stage. She wanted it so bad she could practically taste it. She didn't want her father's company, no matter how rich it could make her. Dani chewed on her lip. Oelrichs noticed.

"What's wrong, Dani?" he asked.

"_Padre, no quiero su compania_," Dani whispered hesitantly. He frowned.

"What?"

She swallowed hard. "I don't want your company."

He laughed and squeezed her shoulders. "You don't have to have it if you don't want it, Danica. It'll make my son very happy."

Dani looked up at him shocked. He never spoke of his other children, to her at least. "Your son?"

Oelrichs nodded. "His name is William, although we call him Will. He's my youngest and has wanted the company since he began walking. Luckily his older sister stepped happily out of his way."

"Me?"

"No, my second daughter, Christine. She wants to dance and become a marine biologist." Dani's eyes were wide.

"Christine and Will," she murmured wonderingly.

"Chris."

"Huh?"

"Christine only goes by Chris. It drives my wife crazy. She's determined to turn Chris into a society girl, and Chris won't have any of it."

_And here I was thinking that they'd be spoiled rich brats like Hollywood heirs and heiresses_, Dani thought ruefully.

"They're smart, and they won't have anything to do with the vain, shallow people of society. I didn't spoil them to excess," Oelrichs explained. "I sent them to Catholic schools."

Dani was surprised. There were Catholics in the United States? "Could I see pictures of them?" she asked shyly. They pulled up to the door of Rosecliff.

"Sure. Go to your rooms and I'll be right there." Dani sprinted up the stairs and got ready for bed. After the day she'd had, she was wiped out.

She was combing her hair when Oelrichs knocked and entered, holding two picture frames. "My younger children, Chris and Will," he said, giving her the pictures. Dani's breath caught in her throat.

Chris was a striking redhead, her hair the color of new copper. She was extremely light-complexioned, with beautifully clear skin, high cheekbones that hinted at a little baby fat still, and ice-blue eyes that laughed. Her pretty mouth was drawn up in a close-lipped smile as she gazed over her shoulder gracefully. She was slender and petite, probably just at five feet. But the most amazing thing about the photo was she was wearing a pure white tutu with a little diamond tiara nestled in her hair, and she was en pointe. _She's a ballerina_, Dani thought amazedly.

The next picture was of a boy with jet black hair and piercing, serious, alert brown eyes. He wasn't as light as his sister—he looked a little tan in this photo—but he wasn't nearly as dark as Dani when she was tan. He didn't smile like his sister (as a matter of fact he was glaring at the camera so sternly Dani was amazed the lens didn't break), but Dani could see why. He was dressed impeccably in a military uniform, the creases so perfectly pressed and no wrinkle seen Dani was sure that he had just stared at it and ironed them perfectly with his mind. His uniform was weighed down with medals, ribbons, and chords, a saber at his waist, and on his head was an officer's hat. His shoes were so shined they reflected the cameraman.

"Is he a delinquent? Is that why he's in military school?" she asked timidly. Oelrichs laughed.

"Far from it. He begged to go. He's an upright, neat kid, very smart and precise. Very serious. He was promoted quickly."

Dani looked down at the pictures and smiled. The two siblings didn't look too much alike, but they both had sweet faces, dedicated attitudes, and unassuming, open air about them. But as she looked closer she recognized their noses as the same as hers which came from their father, the high cheekbones, long lean legs, and long dark eyelashes. It was obvious their mother was a beauty, since their builds were similar and not like Dani. If she looked though, she could find family resemblances among the three of them. She always wanted siblings, but her mother never married again. She hoped one day to meet her half-siblings and make friends with them.

"You may keep those. I have plenty, and can always print more," Oelrichs said. Dani's eyes were shining.

"Thank you," she whispered. Oelrichs kissed her forehead good night and Dani went to sleep, dreaming of music, the host club, a mysterious ballerina and a serious officer.

The next morning she woke two hours before her alarm clock, completely awake, a song written completely in her head for a string quartet, guitar, piano, and some soft percussion, words in Japanese. She was finished writing the score before her alarm went off. _I'll début the song today to the hosts_, she decided.

She nearly forgot all about the song when she walked into Music Room Three to find the hosts dressed in Mariachi outfits with sombreros on their head (the brim of Tamaki's sombrero was so enormous it was nearly the length of his arm span).

"Happy Mexican Independence Day, Dani!" they all yelled. Dani's eyes welled with tears and she had to turn away. Suddenly she was glomped from behind by at least three people and the entire host club was hugging her—even Kyoya and Haruhi, Kyoya because he was sandwhiched between Hunny and Tamaki, and Haruhi dragged in by the twins.

"Do you like it, Dani?" Tamaki asked excitedly. "We had this all done for you!"

"Whose idea was it?" Dani asked smiling so hard she thought her face would break. It was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for her.

"There is a little thing called research that we did. And online shopping," the twins answered. Dani laughed.

"Thank you," she whispered, and the hosts beamed. That day, she dressed in the finest Mariachi suit she'd ever worn, and sang more Mexican songs than ever before, and even forgot how to speak Japanese after a while and only babbled happily in Spanish.

Her opportunity to perform came in the form of Hikaru and Kaoru who Dani pretended to confuse and call them Spanish or Italian names. Today, Hikaru was Pedro and Kaoru was Giuseppe.

"So Kyoya-sempai," Pedro started.

"How's the club going to pay for the masquerade ball—" Giuseppe continued.

"—and the Christmas party?" Pedro ended.

"Are prices going up on the online auction?" Giuseppe asked.

"Online, WHAT?" Dani yelled from the opposite side of the room where Tamaki was trying to teach her how to dance. She tripped and faceplanted again.

"Online auction, Dani. We take small insignificant things that the hosts don't need anymore and sell them to the customers. Your broken guitar string from last week got nearly one hundred thousand yen," Tamaki informed her. Dani's eyes widened and her eyebrows shot up.

"Girls are so strange," she mumbled.

Kyoya kept typing, ignoring the twins' pestering. "I've arranged for Dani to record a CD to sell to the customers," he answered flippantly. Dani nodded as she got off the floor where Tamaki had flung her in surprise.

"I swear Tamaki, I'm never learning how to dance from you ever again," she mumbled. "I've already composed a song, too." Even Kyoya looked shocked. Dani decided that it was good for him. It exercised his face muscles.

"Play it please, Dani-chan!" Hunny yelled. Dani gratefully headed to the piano, pulling the score out from her book bag as she went. She sat and ran her fingers over the keyboard, thinking about her inspiration: the look on Kyoya's face when she played the violin, a look that revealed a glimpse of the real Kyoya, and the Kyoya that she and Tamaki knew.

"I thought I'd write music that reflected each of you hosts. Because you have all been such good friends to me." Dani saw touched smiles spread across their faces. She avoided looking at Mori. "The first I wrote was for Kyoya," she explained. Everyone looked surprised. Dani placed her hands on the keys. "It's called _Tsumetai Yoru_." She played the soft, bittersweet opening, ignoring the looks of confusion everyone wore, especially Kyoya. And then she sang.

"_Tsumetai yoru no tsukiakari ni terasarete / utsushi dasareru machi no kage ni kakureta / shinjirareru mono nante / mou nani hitotsu nai to / yukikau hitogomi no naka / Monokuro no sekai ni / unazuite ita keredo / kizuitanda kimi no kotoba de / ashimoto ni yorisou hana hitotsu / Ushinattemo / kowaku nante nai to / iikikasu yo ni / aruki dashita… / shizukesa dake ga / boku no mune wo umetsukushi / nozomu koto nado / shirazu ikite kita no ni / utagau koto no imi sae mo / mou wakaranakute / yugandeku machi no naka ni / tadashisa wo kanji / nagasarete ita keredo / kizuitanda / kimi no kotoba de / ashimoto ni yorisou / hana hitotsu / ushinattemo / kowaku nante nai to / iikikasetemo / toki wa susumu…_"

The room was silent when she finished. Dani looked at Kyoya first, since it was his song, and saw him looking out the window at the dusk falling. He turned back, smiled a Kyoya smile, and clapped. The rest of the hosts followed suit, and even Usa-chan clapped. Watching Hunny make Usa-chan clap gave Dani an idea, and when Hunny shimmied up Mori's shoulders to perch there and be adorable as Mori gazed at her unwaveringly, an idea popped in her head. Hunny's song was next.

.*.*.*.

"I am still wondering how a Japanese chef knows how to make enchiladas," Dani said out loud as she inhaled a fourth chicken enchilada. Oelrichs watched his daughter happily munch on the beans and rice and more enchiladas with his mouth slightly open; was it possible for someone only five feet six inches tall to eat all that Mexican food?

But everyone had made Dani feel so happy and so very _Mexican _that day that her heart was so close to exploding she was wondering how she hadn't yet. She'd even taught Hunny how to do the Mexican hat dance with Usa-chan as the hat!

She thanked God that she'd been so blessed.

"Did the hosts do something nice for you today?" Oelrichs asked finally. There was no way she could look that happy unless one of two things had happened: first, something Mexican had happened, and second (and most unlikely) she had just had the best lay of her life.

More than likely it was the first.

"Music Room Three was completely covered in _zarapes y sombreros_ and the hosts wore Mariachi suits! All I did was sing in Spanish!" Dani exclaimed happily. She was on her seventh enchilada. She looked up hopefully and asked, "Dad, I know long distance calls are really expensive, but do you think I can call _Mamá_ and wish her a Happy Independence Day?"

Oelrichs heart sank into his stomach. It was the one question he dreaded answering. "I—I'm sorry, Dani. You can't call your mother."

"Oh yeah, the time difference is pretty dramatic—"

"Ever."

The staff lined up at one wall stiffened and quickly—silently—left the room; the silence was oppressive. Dani lowered her fork. "What do you mean? I can't speak to my mother ever again? Never?"

"Dani please understand, your mother understood that if you came with me contact would be forbidden—"

"I can never talk to her again!"

"—because my wife tracks my phone lines and she doesn't know you're here in Japan with me—"

Dani leapt up from her seat, silent tears streaming down her face. "Will I ever see my mother again?"

Oelrichs hesitated, then looked down at his plate. Ashamed. "No Dani. It's very unlikely that you'll see her again. Or Mexico."

Dani's chair clattered to the floor as she backed away from the table, a hand pressed over her mouth. "_Nunca…mai…kesshite nai…_never."

Oelrichs stood, a hand outstretched towards his daughter. "Dani, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please…please forgive me."

But Dani recoiled and with a sob she fled the room. She ran up the stairs and flung herself on her bed, weeping as her heart broke.

She'd never see her mother again.

That was the price she had to pay.

Was it worth it?

She felt a large comforting hand on her back and Oelrichs whispering to her. "_Mija_, I'm so sorry. I wish I could change it, but I can't. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Then she was being lifted and her face was pressed to a finely tailored suit and she was crying and crying as her father held her tightly, rocking her back and forth, whispering in English and Japanese and some French she assumed he learned in school.

He put her to bed that night. He waited for her to change and wash her tear stained face and came back in the room when she climbed into bed. Her heartbreak was all over her pretty face, her mouth turned down with tears that were still leaking out and dropping on the pillow. Dani reached out for his hand and said in a tone that made his heart crumble into a million pieces "Don't leave me, Daddy. You're all I have now. Please, don't you leave me too."

Oelrichs swallowed, his own eyes full of tears. "I won't, Danica. I promise." He stroked her face gently with his fingertips, the tickling sensation soothing Dani into closing her eyes. His fingers ghosting across her eyelids, cheeks, scars, nose, chin, lips, forehead eased her into an exhausted sleep.

Oelrichs didn't let go of her hand until he was sure she was fast asleep.

And then stayed an extra three hours.

**Hi there!**

**You wonderful people got me up to 25 reviews and I appreciated it so much I gave you an 18 page chapter.**

**It's so bittersweet. It actually made me cry a little.**

**But gasp! Dani finally learns she has a younger brother and sister! EGADS! Chris and Will are actually based off of my own beloved brother and sister (Chris is older) whose names on here are ****Selestyna Arpa364**** and ****Apocalypse666****.**

**The Oelrichs trilogy is a trilogy for a reason. A story for each sibling. The first being the eldest of course. Dani.**

**Does anyone know how to pronounce Oelrichs? OHL-ricks. Pretty simple.**

**For the sake of the story I'm pretending Dani actually writes the character songs to the hosts. Author's license. They were not written by her in real life. Dani doesn't even exist.**

**That makes me depressed.**

**Now I have Sealand sitting beside me tell me to quote "get your British jerk-butt off the computer and make me pizza rolls and s'mores already! It's Hetalia time!" The little brat already sold my backpack on eBay! (Not really. She left a note on the lunch table today when she went to buy a snack while I was in the bathroom that said "Britain, going to sell your shit on eBay. Hate, Sealand") It was quite funny.**

**I burnt my foot today. On the ball of my foot. And rubbed it raw in that same spot. So I'm walking on a very tender foot right now. Sad faces. I need Neosporin.**

**Well, I'll stop boring you now, and instead commence with the begging for REVIEWS! I know that 26 of you are following this story *shifty eyes*, so please leave me a review! They make me write faster. I may just sit on my butt and wait for my story to reach 50 or something before I bother opening a new Word document.**

**That actually won't happen, but it has in the past. For example I've actually got this story planned out.**

**But please leave a REVIEW before you go! They mean so much to me. Especially now that my Shakespeare class is over. *cries* So click that little button right there and just let me know what you thought! I appreciate feedback.**

**Bleurgh. Now to work on an essay about Islam. Wish they'd let me in the mosque…well, might as well call my friend who is the daughter of a Saudi Arabian diplomat. No lie.**

**Until next time my wonderful friends!**

**~La Principessa Dell'Opera**

**P.S.**

"**Tsumetai Yoru" is Kyoya's character song.**

_**Swan Lake**_** is by Tchaikovsky. Watch it and/or listen to it sometime. Such a beautiful ballet.**

**Oralé- hey, yo, what's up (Spanish slang)**

**Ragazzi- guys (Italian)**

**Che- what (Italian)**

**Cuanto cuesta- how much (Spanish)**

**Nada- nothing (Spanish)**

**Dio- God, Lord (Italian)**

**Muchachos- guys (Spanish)**

**Barrios- slums (Spanish)**

**¡Madre de Dios! ¡Mañana es el Día de la Independencia! ¡Debo hablar con mi madre!- Mother of God! Tomorrow is Independence Day! I must speak with my mother! (Spanish)**

**Ciao- hi (Italian)**

**Signore- mister, sir (Italian)**

**Muy bien- very good (Spanish)**

**Padre, no quiero su compania- Father, I don't want your company (Spanish)**

**Zarapes y sombreros- shawl and hat (Mexican clothing whose definitions I over simplified here. Zarapes are worn usually by men since women have **_**rebozos**_** which are sort of the same. Sombreros are a more specific type of hat. Google Image that :) )**

**Mariachi- a specific genre of Mexican music, usually sung by a band. YouTube it, it's beautiful music.**

**Mamá- Mom (Spanish)**

**Nunca- never (Spanish)**

**Mai- never (Italian)**

**Kesshite nai- never (Japanese)**

**Mija- a term of endearment like "sweetheart" or "honey", this word specifically for one female child. Combination of **_**mi**_** and **_**hija**_** which literally translates to **_**my daughter**_**. Eventually the words were just run together and instead of meaning one's offspring, it could be a term of endearment for any child. (Spanish)**


	6. Chapter 5: Flight of Fancy

**If I owned everything mentioned in this chapter, I'd be so freaking rich. So rich. Enormously rich. So obviously, I own nothing mentioned in this chapter at all with the exception of Dani, her lovable Dad, and poor Miss Shizu. Why do I bother with disclaimers anymore anyway?**

Chapter Five:

Flight of Fancy

_Or_

Galop Infernal (The Cancan)

_I need to stop wearing my heart on my sleeve_, Dani thought, annoyed. _I swear if Tamaki looks at me like he's going to cry again, I'm actually going to make him cry._

It was the day after Dani had found out that she wasn't allowed to speak to her mother ever again, and she was in a rather foul mood. No one could really tell (well, the hosts could, probably, but she hadn't seen the others except Kyoya and Tamaki.), so the fact that Tamaki was sneaking covert glances and tearing up almost every ten minutes was grating on her nerves. Kyoya wasn't paying them any attention, but Dani saw him tapping the rhythm of "Tsumetai Yoru" on his notebook. Suddenly Tamaki raised his hand and said "Sensei, I am not feeling well. May I please go see the doctor?"

Without turning around, the teacher replied, "Yes you may. Oelrichs, will you please accompany him?"

Surprised, Dani stood and walked out with Tamaki, but was unprepared for him to haul her into an empty classroom.

"Okay Dani, what's up? You're not being yourself," Tamaki started. Trying to keep her violent temper in check, Dani scoffed and put her hand to the necklace hidden under her shirt that had the ring she'd received for her sixteenth birthday from her mother. _Mamá, se echo de menos_, she thought.

"It's nothing, Tamaki. I just woke on the wrong side of the bed," she replied stiffly. Tamaki rolled his eyes.

"I don't believe you, Dani. Besides, your eyes are not as green as usual. That means that you're not happy about something," he pointed out. Dani bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from screaming at him.

"It's nothing—"

"Liar."

And then Dani exploded. "WOULD YOU GET THE HINT, TAMAKI? I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT! I'M NEVER GOING BACK TO MEXICO OR SEEING MY MOTHER AGAIN, SO I'M A LITTLE PUT-OUT ABOUT IT! MY FATHER HIDES THE FACT THAT I LIVE WITH HIM FROM HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN AND ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT IS THAT HE IS ASHAMED OF ME! GOD, I CAN'T EVEN SEND FLOWERS TO MY GRANDPARENTS' GRAVES FOR EL DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS! I'M STUCK IN JAPAN WITH NO WAY OF EVER SEEING MY HOMELAND AGAIN, OR EVEN SPEAKING TO MY MOTHER! I'M AN OUTSIDER AND THAT'S ALL I'LL EVER BE!" she screamed and screamed. By the time she was done yelling, her face was scarlet, her breath heavy, her heart beating faster, but she felt better. All her hurt and anger had finally been let out. Tamaki watched her for another few minutes.

"Feel better?" he asked. Surprised, Dani nodded. Tamaki came forward and folded her into a hug, gentle and reassuring.

"Japanese aren't big on physical contact, but I'm half-French and you're Mexican, so I think we're allowed to hug," Tamaki said in Dani's ear when she stiffened. Slowly, she brought her hands up to rest on Tamaki's back and returned the hug.

_He knew what I needed before I knew myself_, she thought, squeezing him and fighting the tears that sprang to her eyes. _He's the best friend anyone could ever want_.

They stepped apart and Dani hid her face, sniffling and hoping that Tamaki would not make fun of her for tearing up. Guys didn't cry…often at least.

Tamaki plopped her hat on her head and she drew it over her eyes as she got herself under control. "I'm glad you're better," he said, holding the door open for her. She knocked his shoulder as she walked past him.

"I'm not a girl, so you don't have to hold the door," she reminded him. Tamaki grinned.

"But you're a friend in need, so that's that," he replied. Dani rolled her eyes and gave him a playful shove. He shoved back. They shoved each other back to class, and Dani finally smiled.

.*.*.*.

One week later, Dani played three new songs for the hosts. One she wrote for Hunny; it was upbeat, allegro, and very fun. Though she liked Hunny a lot, Dani was afraid of becoming better friends with him because of his habit of hugging people. Dani didn't need or want another Mori incident.

"I called it 'Doki Doki Waku Waku," she told them. Then she took a deep breath. "_Tanoshii koto ga matteruto itsudatte tanoshinnjaeru! / kawaii momo wo mitsukechatta nadatte hoshigacchau! / mori no naka de mo mizu no naka demo / dokomademo oikakechatte ii yo! / ikute habamu nankan toppa! karuku nagetobashichae! / tanken usachann to issho! takara bako sagashite! / waku waku suru youna yume no shima e / tanken Takashi mo issho! dakara daijoubu sa! / uki uki suru youna tabi ni deyou! doki doki / ureshii koto ga atta hi ha megatonkyuu no SUMAIRU de! / ochikonnde iru kimi ni HAPPY takusan wakete ageruyo! / mahou no tsue de hitofuri suruto usachan ga kumachan ni henshin / kore Tama-chan no Kuma-chan da (T_T) konna no kwaiku nai- / tanken minna to issho! takara bako sagashite! / waku waku suru youna yume no shima e / tanken itsudatte issho! dakara daijoubu! / uki uki suru youna tabi ni deyou! doki doki / tanken usachann to issho! takara bako sagashite! / waku waku suru youna yume no shima e / tanken Takashi mo issho! dakara daijoubu sa! / uki uki suru youna tabi ni deyou! doki doki!_" Dani rocked out on her electric guitar, grinning as Hunny danced enthusiastically with Usa-chan and the twins broke out some glowsticks. A few times Dani dared to look up at Mori only to see he was watching her with a small smile, unwavering and uncaring of who saw him gazing at her.

When she strummed the last chord, everyone burst into applause, Hunny the loudest. "That was the best song ever, Dani-chan!" he announced, bouncing over to hug her.

"I'm glad you liked it, Hunny-sempai," she replied, hugging him back briefly.

"You obviously have a talent for writing music, Dani. Keep it up," Kyoya said, his glasses flashing as he typed something onto his calculator and jot it down. Dani rolled her eyes.

"Yes, O Lord of Greed," she mocked, strumming her guitar a few times, just to annoy him. Kyoya ignored her.

"You said you had three songs, Dani! Play the next one!" Tamaki demanded as he attacked Haruhi with another one of his Flying Hugs of Doom. It was a wonder Haruhi was still standing.

"Alright, this next one I wrote for you, Tamaki. I think you'll enjoy it," Dani said with a sly grin. She strummed the guitar and began to sing. "_Tsumi wa kami ga boku wo utsukushiku tsukutta koto / kimi no hitomi ni utsutta boku ga ikenai no sa / batsu wa boku ga ai ni mitasare sugiteru koto / soredemo boku wa kimi wo aishite shimau darou? / GUILTY BEAUTY LOVE / tobira hiraki fumidashite yume no sekai e irasshaimase / kimi wo ESUKOOTO hizamazuki te to kuchizuke / hajirau megami sae furimuita LUCKY GUY / tsukareta kokoro iyasu kara / tsumi wa boku ga fureru mono subete koi ni ochite / HAATO ubawareta kimi wa zenzen warukunai sa / batsu wa boku ga ai wo mugenndai sasageru koto / soredemo kimi wa boku ni hikarete shimaudarou / GUILTY BEAUTY LOVE / yoru ni ukabu tsuki ga boku dakiyose moeru kimi wa taiyou / futari meguriai mabushi sugi kage wa dekinai / jyounetsu no hanataba wo okuttara CUTIE LADY / koko de wa kimi wa itsudemo HIROIIN / tsumi wa kami ga boku ni kono / kuchibiru kureta koto / kimi wo yume e to sasotta boku ga ikenai no sa / batsu wa boku ni ai ga furisosogi sugiru koto / soredemo kimi wa boku ni hikarete shimau darou? / GUILTY BEAUTY HEART!_" With that, Dani finished the song and looked up.

Tamaki's mouth was hanging open, Haruhi was looking rather annoyed, Hunny was still grinning (Dani doubted he was paying attention to "Guilty Beauty Love"), Mori was still smiling that odd smile, Kyoya was hiding his face behind his notebook, and the twins were rolling on the ground, laughing so hard that they were nearly crying.

"Oh GOD, Dani-sempai! You nailed him!" Hikaru screamed with mirth.

"Right on the head! Oh that was so funny!" Kaoru managed out, pounding the ground with his fist. Dani fought the urge to laugh at them. Tamaki decided that right then would be the best time to open his mouth.

"HOW DARE YOU MAKE FUN OF THAT SONG DANI PUT A LOT OF HARD WORK INTO IT AND I THINK IT FITS PERFECTLY IT WAS AMAZING AND TRUE AND IT REFLECTS ME PERFECTLY WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING STOP LAUGHING I'M THE KING OF THE HOST CLUB AND I DEMAND YOU STOP LAUGHING AT ME RIGHT NOW!" Tamaki rampaged, only making the twins laugh harder. There was a loud screech and everyone covered their ears. Dani grinned at the glares she received.

"I have one more song. And it's for those two," she said, pointing at the twins on the floor. "It's called 'Bokura No Love Style'."

The guitar played again, and the twins glanced at each other, smiling. Dani watched as Tamaki's eyes gravitated to Haruhi who was turning red with the effort to not look back at him, and Dani saw Hikaru's eyes flash to the both of them before turning back to his brother. _Why hello love triangle_, she thought. And then she sang.

"_Kimi no miteru me no mae hoka no ko to no oshaberi Oh No, No, No / waza to misetsukeru no wa shite hoshikute yakimochi Oh Yes, Yes, Yes / My darling Please ai ni wa / My darling Please sukoshi no / shougai aru to motto moeagaru mono / sore ga bokura no love style ai no katachi sa love style / I need you, I want you, Forever / kore ga futari no love style doko made datte love style / you are mine, I'm yours, forever Only you, love you / sukoshi yarisugita ka na? maji de okoraseta ka na? Oh No, No, No / dakishimete ageru kara nakanaori wo shiyou yo Oh Yes, Yes, Yes / My darling Please kizuna wa / My darling Please fuan wo  
>norikoete koso tsuyoku fukaku naru mono  sore ga bokura no love style tsukisusumu no sa love style / I need you, I want you, Forever / kore ga futari no love style itsumade datte love style / you are mine, I'm yours, forever Only you, love you_." With a final chord, Dani finished the latest song she had written. The twins stared at her.

"Sooo…yeah," she mumbled, fiddling with her guitar pick.

"Dani-sempai?" Kaoru said, standing up. Hikaru stood too.

"You're genius," they told her in unison. Dani blushed.

"All I have left is Haruhi's song and Mori's song," she said, sneaking a look at Mori and blushing red. No one noticed, as the twins were too busy dancing in a circle around Dani with Hunny and Usa-chan. Haruhi smiled at Dani when Dani dared to look up again, and Dani smiled back. Then she chanced a look at Tamaki who was uncharacteristically silent and pensive. He was staring at Haruhi with an unreadable look on his face. Dani caught Kyoya's eye. Kyoya looked at Tamaki and Haruhi, rolled his eyes, then went back to whatever he was writing. _Gotcha_, Dani thought. It was amazing how much just the eyes alone would reveal. Kyoya's said _those two idiots have it bad for each other, but neither will admit it. Morons._ Dani had to agree.

"Alright hosts! It's finally October, and we need to start thinking about cosplays for Halloween. Not forgetting the masquerade ball," Tamaki started, plopping down on one of the sofas. Dani plucked at her guitar.

"Well first thought, what is the host club wearing for the ball?" she asked. Kaoru pulled the guitar out of her hands and put it on its stand.

"Come on, Dani-sempai. Time for your dance lesson," he said, taking the girl's stance.

"DAMMIT!"

"Language, Dani," Kyoya said flippantly, typing on his calculator again.

Dani snorted as Kaoru pulled her around the room in what was supposed to be a tango. "I speak four languages! Where does Kyoya get off telling me to mind my tongue?"

Kaoru shrugged. "That's just him. Black and white." Dani opened her mouth to argue, but a thought occurred to her. She sent Kaoru into an impromptu spin.

"Tamaki, Kyoya, what are the hosts wearing for the ball?" she asked again before being yanked around into a turn and losing her balance. Kaoru pulled her up and they were off again.

Tamaki thought. "Well, we could do a cosplay, but since it is a ball, maybe we should do something a little more subtle than that. Just wear masks and tuxedos, since it is a masquerade."

"_MASQUERADE! PAPER FACES ON PARADE_!" Dani sang from the floor before Karou pulled her up again. "Seriously, why am I learning to dance? Obviously I'm no good at it!"

Kyoya's glasses flashed as Tamaki snapped his fingers and a lightbulb appeared over his head. "Dani! Have you ever made masks before?" Tamaki asked. Kaoru dipped Dani and she stared at him from upside down.

"Kaoru, I thought the girl dipped, not the guy! And _sí_, I have. I made many to sell for _el Día de los Muertos_, and they were always really popular," Dani answered, spinning Kaoru like a top. He wobbled unsteadily when he stopped.

"Could you make masks for the hosts?" Kyoya asked. Dani stopped dancing and thought, staring at a spot on the sofa.

"Yes, I think I can. I'll have to take molds of your faces." She sat down and pulled her sketchbook to her, quickly drawing Tamaki's face, and sketching a half-face mask on him, covering his eyes and nose. "Hm, Tamaki, I think yours will be red. Like blood. Or a rose. One of the two. Edged in…gold…" she kept sketching as the hosts came over to look at it, "…and with black feathers. There, something like that." She held up the book and Tamaki looked at it.

"Dani, you are a genius. I LOVE IT!" Tamaki declared, straightening and placing a dramatic hand over his heart, sparkling roses appearing behind him. Dani reached out and touched one. Yup, they were real!

"Okay, for Kyoya, I think I'll paint half your face black…" she said, sketching his face on the same page as Tamaki's. "And make another half face mask, but it'll be more like your face is divided right down the middle. One half black, one half white. Wear your glasses over it, that'll look cool." She sketched the rest of it, and Kyoya nodded his approval.

"What about me, Dani-chan?" Hunny asked. Dani flipped to a new page and sketched Hunny's face.

"I'm going to paint your face. We gotta get you bunny ears though," she said as she sketched Hunny's face into that of a rabbit. Hunny's eyes went wide.

"That'll be super cute, Dani-chan!" he announced.

"What about us?" the twins asked, one on each side of Dani. She turned another page.

"How about Carnival masks? I'll make Hikaru's silver, and Kaoru's gold," she said, sketching both the twins and the masks. The twins nodded.

"Okay, looks good!" they declared in unison, skipping away, Hunny following to get more cake. Dani flipped back to the page with Hunny on it.

"For you, Haruhi…how about the Phantom of the Opera?" she asked, sketching Haruhi's face and the quarter-face mask over it. Haruhi studied it and nodded.

"I like that. Sure, go for it," she told Dani. Dani smiled. Then she looked up at Mori who's eyes were shining at her. She turned red.

"Um, what would you like, Mori?" she asked quietly and shyly. Mori sat next to her and looked at the sketches. Dani's ears caught fire.

"Mmm, I don't know," he replied. Dani's hands shook as she turned to a new page and sketched Mori's face.

_¡Mecacho! Pienso, pienso pienso…_ Dani thought, absent-mindedly doodling, not noticing what she was doing.

"Can you do that?" Dani nearly jumped out of her skin when Mori spoke again. She looked at what she had drawn. Up the side of Mori's neck and face she had drawn a tree with birds, nests, a beehive, and even a fairy. It spread across his cheekbone, chin, and forehead.

"I'd have to paint it instead of making a mask," she told him. He nodded.

"I like it." And he went off to join Hunny. Dani was left feeling very confused as her heart rate slowed, and the bright red from her face faded. But she also found to her surprise, that she didn't want him to move away.

Shaking her head and chalking it up to being tired, Dani rejoined Tamaki and Kyoya, planning the ball. Suddenly, Tamaki stood up and cried, "We haven't decided on the cosplays for the week of Halloween!"

"Well sit down so we can!" Dani said, pulling on his sleeve. Tamaki sat with a strange look on his face, almost as if he was trying to go number two. "Tamaki, stop thinking so hard. You'll give yourself an aneurism."

"Well, any suggestions?" Tamaki asked. The twins sidled up.

"How about vampires. Apparently that's really popular with the ladies right now," they said. Kyoya wrote it down as Tamaki nodded.

"I like that one. Ideas?" he asked.

"Nintendo," Dani joked. The twins laughed themselves into little puddles of Hikaru and Kaoru. However, Tamaki brightened.

"Dani, that's a great idea!" he exclaimed. Kyoya rolled his eyes and wrote it down.

"How about heroes and kings, Tama-chan?" Hunny announced, waving a slice of cake. Tamaki nodded, and Kyoya wrote it down.

"Any more?"

"Pirates vs. Ninjas!" Hikaru called from where he was still ROFL'ing.

"Got it," Kyoya responded, writing it down.

"Last idea?"

Everyone paused. Then Mori spoke, surprising everyone. "Harry Potter."

"YEEEEEES!" The twins yelled from where they were still solidifying. Kyoya wrote it down while Tamaki pulled a cracker and streamers burst out of everywhere. Hunny patted Mori on the head, Haruhi wasn't paying attention, and Dani was confused.

"What's Harry Potter?" she asked, then regretted it. All the hosts turned to her in astonishment, even Haruhi and Kyoya.

"We could see how you didn't know about Halloween—" Kaoru started.

"—But _Harry Potter?_ It's just THE most popular book franchise in the WORLD!" Hikaru exclaimed.

"Someone get this man the full works of Harry Potter, hardback!" Tamaki yelled. Out of nowhere (_Ay Dios mio…_ Dani thought, wide-eyed), seven enormous books were shoved into Dani's arms. She staggered under the weight until Mori lifted them from her hands and placed them next to her guitar.

"Your task is to finish at least the first four books before Halloween," Tamaki announced. Dani eyed the pile of books nervously, but nodded.

It was quickly decided that on Monday would be vampires, Tuesday Harry Potter, Wednesday Nintendo, Thursday Pirates vs. Ninjas, and Friday into heroes and kings. The cosplays were assigned as follows: the twins would be samurai vampires, Fred and George Weasley, Mario and Luigi, Hikaru the Ninja and Kaoru the Pirate, and Rama and Bharata from the Hindu epic, _The Ramayana_. Haruhi would be a gentleman vampire ("Think Edwardian England!" Tamaki had gushed), Neville Longbottom (Dani and Tamaki had argued this heatedly since Tamaki wanted her to be the Ginny to his Harry and Dani said it'd be too obvious), Ash from Pokémon, Haruhi the Pirate, and Romeo. Kyoya was going to be a Naval officer vampire, Draco Malfoy, Marth, Kyoya the Ninja, and Julius Caesar. Tamaki was going to be a noble French vampire, Harry Potter,_ Twilight Princess_ Link, Tamaki the Ninja, and King Arthur. Dani would be a gondolier vampire, Ron Weasley, Pit from _Kid Icarus_,Dani the Conquistador (_Tamaki really thinks he's clever_, Dani thought wryly), and King Oberon. Hunny would be a chef vampire, Dumbledore, Kirby, Hunny the Ninja, and King Tut. Mori would be Dracula, Snape, Captain Falcon, Mori the Pirate, and Alexander the Great.

After the twins measured Dani for her costumes (and several close calls), she left, staggering under the weight of the Harry Potter books, her electric guitar, amp, and book bag.

"H-hello Dani," a timid voice said behind her. Dani whirled around and saw Shizu standing outside of a girl's restroom, obviously just come out. Dani grinned.

"Hi, Shizu! How are you? I don't see you at the host club very often. How have you been?"

Shizu blushed. "I-I joined a new club," she whispered, looking down at her feet. Dani put her books down so that she could tilt Shizu's head up from her chin and smile into her eyes. Shizu went scarlet, though not as bad as Dani when she blushed.

"No need to be so shy, Shizu. I like looking at you. Especially when you're speaking to me. But perhaps…" Dani trailed off as she kissed Shizu's hand, and Shizu immediately bit her lip, eyes widening. "…you do not like to look at me." Dani gazed into Shizu's stunned eyes. _Her eyes look like amber. That's a pretty color. I wonder if I can paint that_, she thought as Shizu shook her head.

"N-no, that's not it, Dani! I swear! I…I really like you, but I'm too shy to go to the host club. The gardening club is really nice to me, and I like working with plants." Then Shizu gasped and clamped her mouth shut. Dani smiled delightedly.

"Gardening club? Oh Shizu, how wonderful! What do you plant? What's your favorite to work with? Where are the greenhouses? Do you like vegetables or flowers better?" Dani eagerly awaited Shizu's stuttered reply.

"W-well, we just planted the r-rose clippings, a-and we're harvesting squash right now. I-I like flowers best. E-especially f-foreign flowers," Shizu whispered. Dani smiled at her, and Shizu squeaked. "U-um, I'll see you l-later, Dani!" she exclaimed red-facedly and scampered away. Dani sighed. Poor Shizu was afraid of her own shadow!

"She likes you," a voice said behind her. Dani yelped and the books fell out of her arms, and the amp dropped on her foot. She cursed in Italian, hopping in place. Mori picked up four of the books and the amp, smiling slightly.

"See that's what happens when you sneak up on me, Mori-sempai. I drop stuff and break my foot," Dani scoffed before grinning.

"Right."

Dani gathered her things and they began to walk. "So what do you mean by she likes me?"

"That. She's fallen in love with you."

Dani gazed at him helplessly. "_REALLY_? _Mierda_. I really was hoping nothing like that was going to happen."

"It happens occasionally."

"_Maldito_. Does it really?"

"Yeah."

"Oh." There was a pause and then Dani spoke up again, her face flaming red. "Uh, Mori? Do you mind helping me put all this stuff away? I can't carry all of it around Rosecliff."

"Sure."

They walked in silence as Dani fought her blush, very much aware of Mori's presence beside her. _This is MORI! Why are you so freaked out? He hasn't said anything, he'll keep your secret! _Dani thought sternly.

_But he's so handsome and sweet…_

_ Wait, what?_ With that, Dani's entire head caught fire. She prayed Mori wouldn't notice.

Suzumoto opened the door for them, bowing and not looking at all surprised that Dani was laden down with enormous books, her guitar and chords, nor surprised at Mori who was laden with more books and her amp.

Mori followed her up the beautiful heart-shaped staircase and down one of the large halls to her rooms. With difficulty, Dani opened the door to her sitting room and made her way in. It was a beautiful room she had decorated herself. The walls were literally painted gold, brush and roller strokes all very visible and gave the room a feeling of belonging to an artist. Some of her works hung on the walls, a half finished statue in one corner surrounded by chisels and marble dust. Against one wall was a gargantuan entertainment system with a gigantic TV, surround sound, a cable box, DVD player, Blue-Ray player, CD player, record player, a Wii, PS3, and an Xbox 360. There was a pure white sofa facing the systems, with two matching white chairs and a glass coffee table with a small sculpture of two dolphins leaping out of the water on it. Two large book cases filled to the brim with ancient-looking books were next to the door, a larger sculpture of interlocking circles between them. A baby grand piano was in front of the large bay window which had a window seat in it. Two guitars, and several cases full of other instruments were lined against the nearest wall with a music stand. Dani carefully placed the books down on one of the bookshelves, and put her guitar away, flopping down on the sofa with a heavy sigh.

"Ooooh, this is comfortable," she mumbled. Mori sat next to her feet and nodded.

"Nice," he said. Dani nodded. She cracked an eye open.

"Did you learn how to dance when you were younger?" she asked. Mori nodded. Dani grimaced. "So the customers are going to expect me to know how to dance pretty well, huh?" Mori thought about it for a moment.

"No, they know you weren't born into this." He gestured around the room. Dani loosened her tie and unbuttoned her jacket so that she could take a deeper breath. She trilled her lips when she exhaled in one big huff.

"Thanks for your help carrying my stuff, Mori. I'll go get the chauffeur to take you home," she said, sitting up and making to stand. As she passed him, he took her hand, stopping her in her tracks. She looked over at him and he was just as bright red as she.

"I'll teach you to dance," he told her. Dani felt the blush spread down her neck. His blush was fading, and hers was worsening!

"Uh…" she started to eloquently say. Mori stood, still not letting go of her hand.

"Do you have a room with hardwood floors?" he asked. Dani nodded.

"The ballroom." He gestured for her to go first, to lead the way.

In the ballroom, Mori took the stance of the girl, and Dani the guy. Trying to control her severely palpitating heart, she remarked "This will be difficult because you're so tall!" Mori merely smiled.

Every day, Mori walked her home, and every day he stayed to teach her how to dance. Dani hoped that spending so much time with him would lessen the effect he had on her, but it only seemed to get worse, especially when she looked up to see him gazing at her so steadily. His hand in hers and his hand resting gently on her shoulder made her skin burn, and every sense was heightened, especially where she touched him. Dani found it hard to breathe around him, and hoped he didn't notice.

But she didn't know she had the same effect on him and he knew exactly what it meant.

.*.*.*.

"Tyamakey, dyo you ree-yee ekspekt me tyo thing wif deese tings in my mouf?" Dani demanded, her mouth full of fake fangs, making it difficult for her to talk. What she had meant to say was _Tamaki, do you really expect me to sing with these things in my mouth?_

"It-th fyne, Thani. We kyan tahk wif deese tings, no probyem!" Tamaki declared. Dani arched an eyebrow.

"I didyn't untherthtan' a worth you jyust thaid," Dani replied. Kyoya entered the room, holding eight packages of something in his hand.

"Tamaki, since you're so insistent on having vampire fangs, _I_ must insist on using only stick-on elongated canines," he said, smiling and showing that only his canine teeth had fake ones stuck onto them instead of the ill-fitting retainer-like fake teeth in Dani and Tamaki's mouths. Dani spat hers out and accepted one of the packages.

"I second Kyoya's idea. Besides, they don't look as fake," she said, opening a package and applying the sticky stuff to her teeth in the mirror. Dani was dressed in a black and white stripped sleeved shirt with a green kerchief around her neck, a red sash around her waist and hips, black slacks and black shoes. Kaoru plopped a straw hat on her head.

"I'll take an order of spaghetti with some Marsala wine and cannoli for dessert," he said, grinning. Dani made as if to bite him, with chomping noises and everything. Hikaru pulled out his dulled katana and held the flat of it to her throat. Tamaki broke out the video camera.

"I won't let you hurt my brother," he said in a threatening voice. Dani turned slowly to look at him.

"_Allora, cosa farete? Uccidermi?_" She gave a mirthless, chilling laugh. "_Io sono già morto, amico mio. Ma voi…_" She stroked his neck, and he shivered. "_Tu sei così vivo! Il tuo sangue scorre nelle vene come un fiume vivo. Mi piacerà prosciugare il cuore_." She leaned forward as if to bite his neck, and he swallowed.

"Don't touch him!" Kaoru screamed suddenly. Dani fought for a straight face as Kyoya (looking rather dashing in his officer's uniform) motioned for them to keep doing their sensual impromptu skit. Dani whirled around and grinned wickedly at Kaoru who had a frightened, determined look on his face.

"_Si, avevo dimenticato di te. Non ti preoccupare. Vedrai tuo fratello presto. Dopo che ti ho sanguinare entrambi a secco_," she murmured, still smiling coldly, and lunged at him. She pretended to latch onto his neck and Kaoru gasped, collapsing to the floor, Dani being his only support. They both managed to pose suggestively until Kaoru threw himself on the ground, making it look like Dani had thrown him there. Dani wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and backed away, letting Hikaru rush to his brother's side and do their whole twincest-is-wincest act.

"Kaoru, no! Don't leave me! Don't leave me!" Hikaru cried, tears in his eyes. Kaoru placed a trembling hand on Hikaru's face.

"I love you, Hikaru," he smiled, then his eyes closed, and his hand dropped limply. Hikaru gasped.

"No! Kaoru no! You can't! Please don't! No, Kaoru! Nooo!" he sobbed dramatically, gathering his "dead" brother's body to his chest. Still crying, he kissed his brother's forehead and laid him down again, whispering, "Don't worry Kaoru. I will avenge you if it's the last thing I ever do."

He stood dramatically and turned to face Dani who was leaning against a column, looking bored. "_Hai finito il tuo addio senza valore? Che spreco di tempo_." She sauntered over to Hikaru, peering into his face and grinning sadistically. "_Adesso è il tuo turno_."

"I will have my revenge," he growled. Dani smirked and sauntered away, turning to face him again when she was ten feet from him.

"_Allora venite a prendermi. Se avete il coraggio_." Hikaru readied his katana and started charging, a battle cry on his lips. At the last moment, Dani stepped aside, whirled him around, and pretended to bite again. Hikaru tore himself away, dropping his katana (Dani saw Mori's eye twitch), and stumbled, then crawled to his dead brother. Hikaru pulled Kaoru into his arms, and lay down next to him.

"We'll be together soon, Kaoru. Don't worry. Wait for me," he whispered. He kissed Kaoru's forehead again, then dropped limply, seemingly dead. Everything was still for a moment, until Dani burst out laughing. Hunny applauded (why did he have a mustache on?) and Haruhi rolled her eyes. Tamaki was in tears. Hikaru and Kaoru stood up, grinning.

"THAT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL YOU TWO ABSOLUTELY HEART BREAKING I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DIED! AND YOU!" Tamaki whirled around and pointed an accusatory finger at Dani who looked mildly surprised. "YOU KILLED THEM BOTH!"

"Sure did," she replied handing Hikaru his katana back. When they finished laughing, they put away all the racks of costumes that the twins had brought from The Closet (which was the size of Dani's entire house back in Mexico), and posed. Dani looked very Italian, Hunny adorable with his tog and enormous impressive mustache, Haruhi looked very proper in Victorian attire not withholding the top hat, Hikaru and Kaoru looked very old-fashioned Japanese, Tamaki looked very Louis XVI and French, Mori had his hair slicked back as Dracula and the effect made him look quite peculiar, and Kyoya looked almost evil as a colonel in the Japanese Navy. The doors swung open and the customers squealed as the hosts all smiled in unison, showing fake fangs, and said threateningly seductively: "Welcome."

.*.

The next day, Dani was examining a red wig, and looking very confused. The twins sidled up to her but before they could open their mouths she said "No, I don't know how to put on a wig. Obviously." The twins glanced at each other, folded their arms over their chests, and smirked.

"We'll help you put it on if you sing 'Bokura No Love Style' again," they wheedled. Dani sighed.

"Fine," and she began singing again as they pulled all her naturally unruly hair back and tucked it under the wig. The other hosts were pulling on their robes and looking like they had just stepped off the set of _Harry Potter_. Dani had finished the first four books and was halfway through the fifth. She was in love with those books. Every time she finished one of the books, Mori would show up with the DVD of the movie and popcorn, and they'd watch on Dani's enormous TV. She loved the movies too, but she was admittedly distracted by Mori's presence, especially when thoughts of how good he smelled or how handsome he was or sweet or how much she sometimes just wanted to reach out and touch his face or take his hand (wait, what?), or how sometimes when the sun hit his eyes just so they looked silver.

Tamaki bounced over with his black wig on, colored contact lenses, fake glasses, scar and wand, a giant grin on his face. "Well Dani, what do you think?" He held his arms out so she could take a good look at his cosplay. Dani didn't even glance at him.

"You look smashing, Tamaki. Although to be completely honest, black hair does not suit you." The twins let go of her with a flourish, and Dani straightened her robes.

Tamaki cocked his head to the side and thought. "Hm…maybe you're right. My naturally luxuriant golden locks don't deserve to be hidden away!" he declared, striking another pose with another rose background.

"How many roses do you kill when you do that?" she demanded. He looked disconcerted and the background disappeared. "Never mind."

"Dani-chan, Dani-chan!" Hunny bounced over in long robes and a long white beard and hat. Dani couldn't help it and burst out laughing. "I look funny with a beard, huh?" Dani nodded while trying to control her laughter, but it was proving difficult. Snape/Mori made his way over and Dani fell over laughing when Dumbledore climbed up Snape like a tree. Haruhi didn't look too different, but Kyoya without glasses and with bleach white hair was enough to sober even Dani who eyed him warily. He raised his eyebrow at her.

"Come now, Dani. I won't bite," he said pleasantly. Dani shuddered. _Now I know why people think he's scary. That blonde hair is freaking me out_, she thought.

Tamaki clapped his hands and motioned with his wand for everyone to take their places. "Ready every-wizard?"

"Lame, Tamaki." Dani rolled her eyes. Her violin was waiting for her to play continuous Harry Potter soundtrack music. She could almost feel her fingerprints being rubbed off by the strings. Tamaki actually did make a good Harry Potter, and Kyoya a perfect Draco Malfoy. The twins had some Weasley Wizard Wheezes jokes hidden up their sleeves and Haruhi merely looked bored. Dani made a decent Ron Weasley, except she wasn't tall enough, but everyone ignored it. Hunny was possibly the cutest Dumbledore ever, and Mori was slightly creepy as Snape.

The doors opened and the girls squealed as all the hosts pointed their wands at the customers and simultaneously used the Summoning Charm. "_Accio ladies!_"

.*.

"OOOOOW! _¿Qué diablos crees que estás hacienda? ¿Quema el cuero cabelludo libre? _STOP!" Dani yelled as Mario attempted to straighten and style her hair and Luigi tried to attach wings to her back.

"You're hair's really stubborn! It doesn't like my flat iron!" Hikaru said as he (agonizingly) slowly drew the piece of torture through her hair again. Kaoru accidentally poked her with a safety pin again.

"_¡MIERDA!_" Dani yelled as she jolted in the chair. Haruhi watched from afar, horrified, as the twins attacked Dani.

"I'm so glad I just had to wear a wig," she mumbled, adjusting her hat. A little stuffed Pikachu was in her arms, and Dani had to admit, Haruhi was quite adorable as Ash. Though not as adorable as Hunny who was just a round ball of _pink_ today. Kyoya looked quite attractive himself as Prince Marth, but Dani thought the best looking one was Mori in a form-fitting bodysuit and a funny helmet. Tamaki as Link bounced in swinging the Master Sword around and everyone ducked.

"ALRIGHT, IS EVERYONE READY?" he yelled, sheathing the lethal-looking weapon. Everyone sighed in relief.

"Not yet boss," Hikaru replied.

"Dani's costume is really difficult!" Kaoru replied as another pin bent in half. Dani wasn't happy.

"Of all the people in Nintendo, _I _have to be the angel with the complicated costume," she grumbled. "YEE-OW!" She leapt out of the chair when Hikaru got too close to her scar on the back of her head.

"Quit being a baby, Dani-sempai! You'll be done in a minute!" Hikaru yelled, grabbing her shoulders and forcing her back into the chair. The heat on her scar sent Dani rocketing to the ceiling, and she hung from the chandelier, glaring at Mario. Kaoru held the wings frustratedly.

"_¡QUE MIERDA ME DUELE!_" she screamed, rubbing her scar. It was throbbing with the heat from the ceramic. Tamaki stomped his foot.

"Dani, come down and finish getting ready!" he yelled. Dani shook her head vigorously.

"It's killing my scar! It HURTS!" she retorted, then winced. She hadn't meant to say that.

"Scar, what scar?" Tamaki asked, concerned.

"Come down from the chandelier, Dani. You'll rip it out of the ceiling," Kyoya said pleasantly. His face was serene and unworried, but his eyes showed apprehension. Probably for the chandelier rather than Dani's well-being. Dani scoffed.

"Move closer then, Kyoya. I wanna land on something huge and soft, like your ego," she replied sarcastically. He smirked at her and stepped pointedly out of the way.

"That's what she said," Hikaru whispered to Kaoru. They fist-pounded.

There were hands on Dani's waist, and Dani tightened her grip on the chandelier where her arms and legs were tangled among the filigree. She shrank away from the hands; she recognized Mori's touch. He was standing on a chair, reaching up to her.

"Let go, Dani," he said quietly, sending Dani's heart into convulsions (_only because he's going to have to catch me_, she told herself firmly). Closing her eyes, she let go and dropped straight into Mori's arms bridal style. Mori's arms immediately tightened around her, and she felt every hitched breath he took and every palpitation of his heart by her ear. He stepped off the chair and let her slide from his arms, his hands lingering on her hip and shoulder.

All too soon the moment was ended by the oblivious Tamaki. "Show us your scar."

Sighing, Dani turned and parted her hair. The hosts gathered to look and gasped. The scar was still tender and pink, in some parts red where she'd been burnt by the flat iron. It traveled from the lower left of her head in almost a straight line up around her head only to twist right in a curved, jagged scar across her hairline on her forehead. Hunny prodded it.

"Does it hurt, Dani-chan?" he asked, his big brown eyes worried. Dani shook her head.

"Not anymore. They're just really, really obvious. Happy now?"

Dani couldn't read Kyoya's expression as he spoke. "Those look rather recent, Dani."

Heart hammering, she gave a flippant laugh. "Nah, they just weren't treated well back in Mexico."

"What happened, Dani?" Tamaki asked, eyes full of tears. Dani shrugged.

"Street fight," she replied. She saw Mori give her a knowing look out of the corner of her eye.

Hikaru brandished his flat iron. "May I finish now?"

The hosts tackled Dani and held her down as he finished straightening her hair and Kaoru finally managed to attach the enormous angel wings. When they let go, Dani swayed on the spot, looking slightly green.

"I think I'm going to be sick," she mumbled. Tamaki gasped.

"Oh Dani, you're so pretty you could be a girl!" he cooed. Dani clocked him. He turned back to the hosts who were laughing at him. He brought a hand up to his jaw. "You punch like Hunny-sempai…not that I know what that's like," he muttered, pouting.

"I'm not a girl. And if I were, I wouldn't tell you guys for fear that I'd end up like poor Haruhi over there," Dani pointed out, gesturing to where Haruhi was being strangled in a Twin Hug.

The door handle turned and the hosts gasped, righted the room at a record speed (Dani had only ever seen Speedy Gonzalez move that fast), and posed in the front of the room, smiling as what looked like Super Smash Brother Brawl said in unison "Welcome, ladies!"

.*.

"Okay, this cosplay is really pretty cool," Dani remarked as she left the dressing room looking like a Spanish conquistador. She was on the Pirate team today. "This costume is really hot though."

Haruhi nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I kinda like it." She was dressed in loose, ripped black pants and was barefoot, a red sash around her hips, a loose white blouse, a brown leather vest, an eye patch, and a captain's hat.

"The eye patch really adds something, Haruhi," Dani chuckled. Haruhi rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

Kaoru sidled up wearing striped white and black pants tucked into black boots, a loose red shirt that was only buttoned halfway, a black bandana on his head and a real scarlet macaw on his shoulder. A dagger and cutlass were strapped to his waist. "I like our costumes better than the ninjas. They don't look too different from each other, huh?" He pointed with a thumb over his shoulder and it was true. Hunny, Kyoya, Tamaki, and Hikaru were dressed head to toe in black, and only their eyes could be seen. Kyoya still had his glasses on.

"Whew, and I thought the conquistador get up was bad, those guys must be roasting!" Dani remarked. Tamaki didn't look too put out, neither did Hunny (who seemed to have a very dangerous gleam in his eye), but Hikaru looked a bit overheated, and Kyoya looked pretty grumpy. Haruhi went into the kitchen and returned with four bottles of ice cold water. She handed them to the ninjas silently. They all drank gratefully.

Suddenly a shadow fell across Dani and she looked up. Suddenly she screamed. "GAK! MORI PUT A FREAKING SHIRT ON!"

Mori stood behind her, amused, wearing only navy blue pants, a white vest and bandana, and a crap-ton of weapons slung across his hips and shoulders. He even had a gold hoop earring in. Kaoru laughed, and Haruhi averted her gaze.

"Mori-sempai, you look great," Kaoru replied. Hunny leapt onto Mori's shoulders.

"Takashi looks great! Those are real too, aren't they?" he asked, indicating the weapons. Mori nodded. Dani was glad her helmet cast her face in shadow, but she was pretty sure Haruhi noticed her blushing.

"If efy-un rety?" Tamaki asked, clapping his hands silently together. Dani laughed at him.

"Don't you mean 'is everyone ready'?" she asked teasingly.

"Ah juf faid dad," Tamaki responded, his eyes widening.

"What?"

Tamaki huffed and pulled the cowl down so he could speak properly. "Get ready men and Haruhi! It's the ultimate battle! Pirates versus Ninjas!"

Kaoru and Dani cheered and started chanting. "Pi-rates! Pi-rates! Pi-rates! Pi-rates!"

Then they all posed as if they were charging each other as the doors opened and chorused "Welcome!" before they all jumped into a mock melee that had girls go wild.

.*.

Dani was walking circles around Hikaru and Kaoru, admiring their Indo-Hindu costumes, complete with blue skin and long black wigs. She rubbed at Kaoru's arm and was delighted to see the blue paint didn't come off onto her finger. She almost squeaked in excitement. The gold ornaments were set off beautifully and the artist in her was about to explode. The twins' eyebrows were raised in annoyance.

"What do you think we are? Sculptures?" they asked simultaneously. Dani's eyes lit up, and they paled. Dani started muttering under her breath in a hybrid of Italian and Spanish as she dived for her bag and the camera within it.

"I'm an artist, you two. Indulge me," she said, and snapped a photo right then and there. Then they started posing and Dani took a multitude of shots from all possible angles. Happy with her work and her head almost exploding with ideas, she turned around to see Hunny dressed like an Egyptian pharaoh with Mori beside him looking as if he could command armies in a red cape and battle armor as Alexander the Great. Dani went to town.

Next came a caught-off-guard Kyoya who was dressed in purple and white as Julius Caesar and did not look pleased. However Tamaki looked quite happy to have his picture taken in his suit of armor and tunic with a gold crown almost obscured by his gold hair. Haruhi looked mostly awkward in her Renaissance style costume, but the burgundy and gold complemented her well and she blushed when Dani said so (as she snapped even more pictures). The twins and Tamaki looked rather murderous when that happened. Then the twins shoved something made of silk, velvet, organza, tulle, and cotton into her arms with a multitude of colors and ordered her to change. When she finally did and walk out of the dressing area, she said only one thing.

"Wow." Dani almost felt like royalty in something so fantastic, so ethereal, so dream-like. The closest thing she could she looked like was an elf from _Lord of the Rings_ (which she and Mori had marathoned the weekend before), but much more other-worldly. With the diaphanous wings attached to her back and a silver crown placed on her head, she knew she didn't look like anything _but_ the King of the Fairies. She smiled brilliantly, her eyes lit up with happiness. "This is amazing."

The Princes and Heroes cosplay turned out to be the most popular cosplay they'd had since their club had opened. Haruhi recited snippets of Shakespeare, Hikaru and Kaoru told stories from the _Ramayana_ and led some of the girls in meditation, Tamaki was being noble and brandishing Excalibur as enthusiastically as he'd swung the Master Sword around on Wednesday, Kyoya was busy being greedy—thus staying relatively in-character for Julius Caesar, Dani played the violin again, playing the most fantastical things she could think of, Hunny was behaving regally only to pretend to keel over dead and then rise again as a mummy and scare the customers, and Mori stayed as quiet as usual, occasionally running a thumb along the pommel of the sword strapped to his waist. It was the most fun they'd had that Halloween week.

And it all led up to the next day.

Dani showed up to school two hours early with some face makeup in tow, masks, and a partially discarded silk tie. Her black tuxedo was lovingly tailored, the peacock blue vest and tie only accentuating her green eyes and her peacock mask. Hunny, Mori, and Kyoya were to arrive soon so that she could paint their faces for their masks. The bunny ears were on her head (backwards) so she wouldn't forget them.

Hunny and Mori showed up first, Hunny wearing a pink vest and tie, Mori wearing violet. Dani had passed Kyoya in the main salon earlier (wearing all black except for the white button down under the black vest and jacket), so she figured the other two would be first. Hunny's "mask" would be the most difficult since it required full-face makeup.

"Hi, Dani-chan! Are you ready for the ball?" Hunny asked excitedly. Dani bit her lip nervously and glanced at Mori who smiled reassuringly.

"I think so. I can see Usa-chan is." She smiled at the bunny who was wearing his own tuxedo and little white mask. Hunny grinned widely and hugged Usa-chan close.

"Yup! And I'm going to look just like him tonight, too! Right, Dani-chan?" he asked sweetly. Dani nodded, and he plopped himself down on the chair.

She covered his entire face, neck, ears and even his lips and eyes with a white makeup foundation that worked like regular makeup foundation, so it wouldn't crack and peel throughout the night. Then with a black soft-tip eyeliner, she drew a bunny nose, bunny teeth over his bottom lip and onto his chin, and little spots for whiskers. She glued three whiskers each onto his cheeks near the spots, painted the nose pink, and painted around his eyes gray. She nestled the bunny ears into his hair, and Hunny the Bunny was finished!

She pulled out a mirror and Hunny's eyes lit up. "Wow, Dani-chan! That looks amazing! You did a great job!" He hugged her, laughing excitedly.

"Don't eat or drink anything for a while so the paint won't wash off, okay?" Dani warned. Hunny nodded.

"I'm gonna go see how Kyo-chan's doing! Bye bye!" he exclaimed, and raced out of the room. Dani turned to see Mori looking at her, and she blushed.

"Uuuuuh…" she started, but Mori silenced her by lacing the necktie around her neck and tying it for her.

"Silk is difficult to tie if you don't know how," he told her. She tucked it into her vest, and smiled at him, fighting her blush. _Why do I always turn into a sputtering idiot around him? ¡Contrólate, mujer!_ she commanded herself.

"Sit please," she said, and he took Hunny's vacated seat. She pulled a slim tube out from her bag of masks and held it up for him to see. He looked at her, puzzled. "Liquid eyeliner. This is what I'm going to use to paint your hand and face." She sat on the table facing him and motioned for him to give her his hand. Her face flushed again as their fingers touched and sparks flew up her arm and into the rest of her body. She placed his hand on her knee where it would rest in a curved position, making it easier to paint. "Don't move, alright? _Tranquilo_." Unscrewing the top, she took the little brush, and began tracing the veins in his hands, branching off into curlicues and flourishes, making wild, fantastical patterns. The room was silent as she concentrated on her art, and Mori gazed shamelessly at her face. When she finished, she picked his hand up gently from the wrist and blew on the ink to make it dry quicker. She placed his hand carefully on the arm of the chair. "Let that dry before you move it," she told him. Mori nodded. Then she moved closer to him, perching on the very edge of the chair backwards, and she gently touched his face, turning it away from her so she could paint.

Vines, trees, leaves, ivy, birds, fairies, sprites, bees, dragonflies and more beautifully drawn art climbed up his neck and face, across his jaw, cheekbone, and half his forehead, making him look rather fantastical himself. Dani forced herself to focus solely on the art, because if she thought about who she was drawing on, her hand got extremely unsteady. When she finished, she gently blew cool air onto the ink, and her mind immediately focused back to Mori, to whom she was _extremely_ close to right now!

She paused uncertainly, and in that moment, Mori turned to look at her. Their gazes actually met this time, and Dani forgot how to breathe. _He's so close_, she thought, and it was true; their noses were almost touching. The embers that Dani had seen behind his eyes the first time she'd looked into them seemed to ignite and a fire began to burn. _He's very close…_

Suddenly Dani realized that they had been leaning closer to each other, almost to the point of…_Not thinking about that!_ she thought frantically. She yelped and twitched away, only to lose her precarious balance on the chair and fall off. Her entire face, neck and ears turned as red as a tomato, and she couldn't bring herself to look into Mori's surprised face. She was shaky and flustered, she felt very clumsy and oafish. Mori stood and held out a hand to help her to her feet, so she naturally tripped over her feet again and went plunging off to the side

Mori's arm was immediately around her waist, his hand wasn't relinquishing hers, and Dani found herself unable to look away from him again. His gaze was intense and heated, full of something she could not name that made her ignite, melt, and evaporate at the same time. His hand was firm on her waist, pulling her closer, and he dropped her hand to trace her cheekbone gently with the tip of his finger, Dani's hand still resting on his wrist.

"Danica," he murmured, and lightning shot down her spine. The way he said her name…deep, husky, whispered. Dani brought her free hand up to the un-inked side of his face, touching his temple very hesitantly.

"Takashi," she breathed, her voice back in its usual register but insubstantial. Suddenly there were footsteps outside the door and Dani gasped, whirling away from Mori and fumbling for Kyoya's mask while fighting her blush.

WHAT WAS THAT, _COSA È STATO, ¿QUÉ FUE ESO?_ she screamed in her head, her heart picking up speed if that was medically possible.

Kyoya entered the room, glasses flashing. "Good evening, Mori-sempai, Dani. I trust you have the masks ready?"

Dani cleared her throat and turned around, her façade carefully in place. She grinned. "Yeah, you're right in time. I just finished with Mori-sempai. It's your turn."

Kyoya sat and removed his glasses, and Dani painted the entire right side of his face black, including his lips, eye, and ear. While she waited for the paint to dry on that side, she painted his left eye white, along with the left side of his mouth. When the paint had dried, she applied the white half-face mask to the left side of his face. The placed his glasses back on his nose, and smiled.

"_Finito!_ That looks great!" She handed him a mirror, and he nodded in approval.

"Thank you, Dani. Now if you two will excuse me." He left. Dani smiled.

"He's going to have to use a straw all night," she chuckled.

"Mm," Mori said. Dani flushed.

The doors opened, and the rest of the host club entered and Dani attached masks to faces. Haruhi wore a black and white tuxedo, her Phantom mask looking extremely eerie, but very effective. She examined the handiwork in the handmirror and nodded.

"That looks great, Dani-sempai. Thanks." Dani smiled at her. Tamaki teared up.

"HARUHI SHOULDN'T BE DRESSED AS A VILLAIN AND HAVE TO HIDE HER BEAUTIFUL FACE!" he started, and rampaged around the room as Dani tied the Venetian Carnivale masks on the twins faces, Hikaru who wore gold had the silver mask, and Kaoru who wore silver had the gold mask. Dani tied her own mask made completely of peacock feathers onto her face and then managed to wrestle Tamaki into the chair to put his elaborate mask on his face. His mask was a shiny, metallic deep red that shimmered like flowing blood. Around the eyes and border were gold sequins, sewn on pain-stakingly. Black feathers trimmed each side of the mask. Finally, Tamaki deemed them all ready and they all headed over to the main salon where the entire female body and at least half the male population as rather unfortunate dates had gathered. The lights suddenly went out, prompting many screams and whispers to break out. Then spotlights above each individual host began to fade in, lighting them up eerily as they did not move a muscle. Suddenly with a flash of light, all the hosts bowed and said in unison, "Welcome to our masquerade!"

When Dani looked back on that night, all she could really remember were swirls of color, the feel of different silks and satins underneath her hand as she danced with girl after girl. All the faces blurred together, although she easily recognized—and danced twice with—Shizu, who's eyes shone the entire time. _Indeed, Andrew Lloyd Webber knew what he wrote! Paper faces on parade…_

Yet Dani could not get Mori out of her head that night no matter how hard she tried. She was engaging and enchanting and charming all evening, but her mind was elsewhere with someone who made her feel more confused than ever. But strangely, she did not want that feeling to end.

.*.*.*.

"I can't believe you actually woke up at five thirty to go to a sunrise Mass for All Saints Day, Dani. Didn't you get in around two?" Oelrichs asked as Dani dragged herself in the front door after a very long Mass at a Catholic church on the other side of Tokyo. She'd stayed longer too to go to Confession, pray for the Saints' intercession, and attend a healing Mass. It was now ten thirty.

Dani pulled her black _mantilla_ off of her head and nodded. "Dad, I'm going back to bed. Wake me up if anything exciting happens," she mumbled, and wandered up the stairs.

"I gave the servants the day off, Dani, so it's just us. Don't sleep too long," Oelrichs called up the stairs. Dani turned around and gave him a smile.

"Just us? Okay, I won't. We don't usually have time together, do we, Dad?" she asked, and went the rest of the way up the stairs. Oelrichs looked sad. She was right.

In her room, Dani shed her black dress and black heels, putting the rosary she'd carried with her away in her jewelry box. They were beautiful services, but she was exhausted, and her feet still hurt from last night. Crawling back into her warm pajamas and bed, she fell asleep almost instantly.

At one, Dani bounced down the stairs in her favorite dress—an aquamarine, full-skirted dress that hugged her every curve lovingly—her pinstripe fedora on her head. She found her dad in the lounge, watching a documentary on the British Empire. "Hi Dad!" Oelrichs started.

"Dani! Have a good snooze?" he asked, patting the sofa beside him. She plopped down and smiled.

"Yeah, I feel much better!" she replied. Oelrichs looked closely at her.

"Alright, what's wrong?" he asked. Dani looked sad and sheepish.

"Well, this is the first year Mamá and I won't be going to clean Nonna and Abuelito's graves together," she answered. Oelrichs hugged her close.

The moment was ruined when his phone rang. Oelrichs fished it out of his pocket, and answered. "Richard Oelrichs." As he listened, his frown got deeper and deeper. Finally he spoke again. "Alright, I'll be there soon. _Do nothing _until I arrive!" he commanded and hung up. He stood suddenly and Dani fell over with a yelp since her leaning post had moved. Oelrichs swore richly and ran upstairs. Dani followed him, waiting outside her father's bedroom door as she heard drawers banging open and close.

"_¿Qué pasa,_ Dad?" Dani called.

"Some stupid intern got a hold of all this year's record and fucked them up! Excuse me. He deleted all of July! I'm going in to try and fix it," he yelled. Dani winced. Her father was unappeasable when he was angry. Dani was living proof of it.

Oelrichs stormed out of his room and downstairs, Dani close on his heels. "Sorry I have to leave you all alone, but this really needs to be taken care of," he said, kissing his daughter on the head. Dani smiled.

"I'll have enchiladas ready for dinner, how's that Dad?" she asked brightly. He smiled tenderly down at her.

"That sounds wonderful Dani. I'll try to be back as soon as I can," he told her, grabbed the keys to his Lamborghini. A few seconds later, he drove off.

Humming, Dani decided to get a head start on the enchiladas, since she wanted to make chicken and beef ones. She went upstairs and retrieved her iPod, iHome and fedora, and headed into the kitchen. First order of business: handmade tortillas.

Dani was dancing, singing, and enjoying herself when the doorbell rang. She shrugged and washed her hands of the sticky dough and made sure that her dress was covering her chest properly as she made her way to the front door. She knew her father was expecting something from FedEx.

"HI DAN—!" a chorus of voices died out. Dani stood in the doorway, her eyes wide with disbelief, staring at Tamaki, Kyoya, Hikaru, Kaoru, Haruhi, Hunny, and Mori, all who looked as if they had been turned to stone. Dani's insides disappeared.

She was wearing her favorite dress. With a plunging neckline. Unbound.

The hosts stared at Dani, and Dani stared at them. She was stone still, unable to believe that her secret had finally been revealed. She was exposed and frozen in shock.

The moment ended when Dani slammed the door shut.

**Hi there!**

**Wow. Super long chapter (26 PAGES!) to make up for me not updating sooner. I was going to, but then I decided I wanted to develop a violent cold and hey! Why not go to class for a week with a 102 degree fever! That sounds fun!**

**Well no, it wasn't. In fact it sucked. A whole lot.**

**I have nothing else to say except that I'm tired and hungry.**

**HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! YEAH!**

**I was going to end on some witty anecdote, and I had about five that I could have chosen from, but I've got a huge pile of laundry waiting for me to fold, and I is tired. I have stuff to do in the morning. Early. Because that's how this campus rolls.**

**So what did you guys think of my super long, super exciting chapter? Huh? Leave a review! BTW, would you guys rather shorter chapters and quicker updates? Or longer chapters with maybe two weeks in between chapters? Let me know in a review!**

**REVIEW! YES!**

**Please?**

**Lemonade to all of you who reviewed last chapter. Delicious, cold, fresh, happy strawberry lemonade. Now I'm thirsty.**

**All my love.**

**~La Principessa Dell'Opera**

**P.S.**

**The "Galop Infernal" otherwise known as the Cancan is from the operetta **_**Orpheé aux Enfers**_** (Orpheus in the Underworld) by Jacques Offenbach. Hilarious operetta. I was in it once, as the god Mercury. Just a fun fact. Anyway, listen to it. It's a good party song. It's instantly recognizable. You will know exactly what it is when it starts playing.**

"**Doki Doki Waku Waku" is Hunny's character song.**

"**Guilty Beauty Love" is one of Tamaki's character songs (Vic Mignogna singing it is awesome. I met him at Katsucon. He's so freaking awesome!)**

"**Bokura No Love Style" is the twins' character song.**

**Sí- yes (Spanish)**

**El Día de los Muertos- Day of the Dead (Mexican holiday)**

**Mecacho- bloody hell! (Spanish slang)**

**Pienso pienso pienso- think think think (Spanish)**

**Ay Dios mio- Oh my God (Spanish)**

**The Ramayana- a Hindu epic about a human avatar of the god Vishnu, Rama, and his adventures with his three brothers and his wife Sita.**

**Mierda- shit (Spanish)**

**Maldito- dammit (Spanish)**

**Allora, cosa farete? Uccidermi? Io sono già morto, amico mio. Ma voi… Tu sei così vivo! Il tuo sangue scorre nelle vene come un fiume vivo. Mi piacerà prosciugare il cuore- So what will you do? Kill me? I am already dead, my friend. But you…you are so alive! Your blood runs through your veins like a living river. I will enjoy draining your heart. (Italian)**

**Sì, avevo dimenticato di te. Non ti preoccupare. Vedrai tuo fratello presto. Dopo che ti ho sanguinare entrambi a secco- Yes, I had almost forgotten you. Don't you worry. You'll see your brother soon. After you've both bled dry. (Italian)**

**Hai finito il tuo addio senza valore? Che spreco di tempo. Adesso è il tuo turno- Have you finished your worthless goodbyes? What a waste of time. Now it's your turn. (Italian)**

**Allora venite a prendermi. Se avete il coraggio- So come and get me. If you dare. (Italian)**

**¿Qué diablos crees que estás hacienda? ¿Quema el cuero cabelludo libre?- What the hell do you think you're doing? Trying to burn my scalp off? (Spanish)**

**Mierda- shit (Spanish)**

**¡QUE MIERDA ME DUELE!- That fucking hurts! (Spanish)**

**¡Contrólate, mujer!- Calm down, woman! (Spanish)**

**Tranquilo- relax, calm (Spanish)**

**COSA È STATO- What was that? (Italian)**

**¿QUÉ FUE ESO?- What was that? (Spanish)**

**Finito- finished (Italian) ["Finito! PASTAAAAA~!"]**

**Mantilla- a veil that some Catholic women wear on their heads when they go to Mass. It is a sign of humility to cover one's head before God. Mostly unused practice now, but not unheard of (I wouldn't have put it in if I didn't wear one myself).**

**Qué pasa- what happened? (Spanish)**

**P.P.S.**

**I was going to post this Sunday night until I realized I left out an entire cosplay day and had to go back and fix it. Anyone wanna guess which cosplay? Leave your guess in the review, and you get a cookie in the next chapter! You may also make a cameo appearance or something! Oh me and ideas!**

**REVIEW! CIAO!**


	7. Chapter 6: Unveiled

**I do not own Ouran, Rosecliff, Kotone and her psycho bitch mom, the Hapag-Lloyd shipping company, or anything else mentioned in this chapter except Dani, her awesome dad, and little miss Shizu. I OWN NOTHING!**

**One day, Bisco Hatori…one day…**

Chapter Six:

Unveiled

_Or_

Voi Che Sapete

Dani leaned her forehead against the wood of the door, trying not to panic, hyperventilate, pass out, or any number of combinations of those choices.

_They've seen me. They know. They all know. It's all over_, she thought, the realization repeating in her head like a mantra. She looked down at herself. Breasts? Check. Dress? Check. Small waist? Check. Hips and butt? Double check. Trademark fedora? Check. Dammit.

There was no way she could pass herself off as a servant or a friend of "Daniel". Her father's staff all had uniforms, and the idiots on the front step were her only friends. There was no way out of this.

Suddenly there was a light tapping at the door and Dani heard Mori's voice. "Dani, open the door." There was a pause. "Please?"

Taking a deep breath and making a conscious effort to not burst into tears, Dani opened the door and stood aside to let the hosts in, not meeting anyone's eyes. Silently she led them into the parlor where they sat, still deep in shock.

Finally after five minutes of tortuous silence, Tamaki spoke, his voice disbelieving, but mostly concerned. "Dani…you're a girl?"

That's all it took for Dani to start sobbing into her hands. She tried to muffle the sounds and stop herself, but she couldn't. All her father's careful planning, his warnings, his worry…it was all for naught now. She'd been found out. _I'm so sorry, Dad!_ _Watashi wa totemo zan-nendesu, lo siento, mi dispiace!_

A hand was placed on her back, and it tentatively began to rub soothing circles. She cried harder. Tamaki spoke, his voice low and soothing. "Hey Dani, its okay. You're alright. There's no need to cry. There there."

Finally she wiped her eyes and looked up at the friends around the room. Their astonishment had melted into concern. And Dani wished with all her heart that they'd find it in their hearts to forgive her deceit.

"Wow, Dani-sempai. You were such a convincing guy. Not even Kyoya-sempai knew you were a girl," Kaoru said. Hikaru nodded beside him, and Dani saw Kyoya's mouth close as he started to write furiously in his notebook. He finished then tentatively moved to sit next to Dani. He smiled at her, and Dani finally gave into her impulses, and hugged him tight. He froze, momentarily caught off-guard, then uncomfortable, but eventually he relaxed and returned her hug hesitantly. Dani let go and turned to Tamaki and threw her arms around him and he hugged her just as tightly. Dani laughed wetly as she let go.

"I'm so sorry I had to lie to you guys. I hated it, I really did, but I had no choice," she told them. Hikaru and Kaoru raised an eyebrow each.

"No, Haruhi doesn't have a choice. She has a debt to pay off," Hikaru pointed out. Dani shook her head.

"No, I really did not have a choice. I've been in Japan since early March. When school started, I was enrolled at St. Lobelia's School for Girls," she informed them. The effect on them was instantaneous.

Tamaki leapt across Dani to curl up in Kyoya's lap squealing like a girl, Kyoya lost his glasses in the Tamaki Launch, the twins' jaws hit the floor simultaneously, Haruhi's eyes widened till they were the size of dinner plates, and Hunny gasped dramatically. Mori was the only one who didn't react; he knew the story.

"OUR BELOVED DANI IS A LOBELIA GIRL!" Tamaki screeched in Kyoya's ear. Kyoya flinched and tried to heave Tamaki off of him, but Tamaki's koala grip around Kyoya's neck was making it impossible.

"No, I'm not! I was there for a little while!" Dani insisted. "I auditioned for the Zuka Club and was accepted—" she was interrupted by Tamaki wailing "NOOOOOO~!" at the top of his lungs, and Hikaru and Kaoru shrieking "WHAT?" and Hunny's voice suddenly going through puberty and he saying in a low voice "Excuse me?"

Dani stared around at them, eyes wide, expression weirded out. "I swear you guys are girlier than me," she mumbled. Then she continued. "Well, the Zuka Club liked me. A lot. So much that in fact that the Benibara Fan Club became the Danica Fan Club."

"Is that your real name, Dani-chan? Danica?" Hunny asked. Dani nodded.

"That's a really pretty name," Haruhi said. Dani smiled and ducked her head, her face warming up.

"Well, thanks. Anyway, Benio didn't like that. She started stalking me, and then one day she decided that I was way too much competition, and she and two of her cronies took me behind the gymnasium and beat me unconscious." The hosts stared in shock. Dani lifted her hair and pointed at the scar across her hairline and forehead that wrapped down the left side of her head. "That wasn't a street fight. That was a brick." The hosts flinched. "I woke up in the hospital with staples and stitches, a bruised arm, sprained wrist, and nasty looking bruise on my cheek. Dad threatened to sue the school if he didn't get a full refund. Then he and Tamaki's dad had the brilliant idea of disguising me as a boy and sending me to Ouran. That's the story. I didn't want to lie, but I also don't want them to come looking for me, so I kept quiet and let you _ragazzi_ think I was another guy. Dad told me to keep my gender a secret, but now that it's out, I guess you won't want me in the host club." She gazed sadly down at her clasped hands.

"Why would we want to kick you out?" Tamaki asked, still on Kyoya's lap. Kyoya looked as if he would commit murder. "You're our friend. We like having you in the club." Everyone nodded emphatically to prove his point. "We don't want you to leave."

"You're also good for business," Kyoya added. Dani snorted.

"I pity the woman you marry, Kyoya." Suddenly, Tamaki's words hit her. "_Esperame_, you want me to stay?"

"Of course!" was the enthusiastic reply. Dani's eyes teared up again.

"_Molto grazie, miei amici_," she whispered. Everyone was smiling, even Mori and Kyoya. Suddenly Tamaki leapt off of Kyoya and tackled Dani to the floor in one of Tamaki's Flying Hugs of Doom.

"AH! TAMAKI, GET OFF, I'M WEARING A DRESS!" she yelled. The twins started snickering, and Haruhi burst into laughter, soon the whole room was full of laughing because no one ever thought to hear Dani who fooled them so long to say something so _girly_. Even Dani started laughing at the absurdity of it all. The atmosphere was considerably lighter afterwards.

"So since you're a girl, and you've been singing guys' songs, will you sing a real song for us?" Hikaru asked. Tamaki perked up.

"Yes Dani! Let us hear your lovely soprano voice!" he declared. Rolling her eyes, Dani led the way into her music room, and sat at the enormous grand piano in it. Glad that she didn't have to warm up in front of them, she touched the keys and said "I'll play Mozart."

Beautiful chords flowed out of the piano like water from a fountain. And Dani's light, high soprano joined in. "_Voi che sapete / che cosa è amor / donne vedete / s'io l'ho nel cor. / Donne vedete / s'io l'ho nel cor. / Quello ch'io provo / vi ridirò; / è per me nuovo, / capir nol so. / Sento un afetto / pien di desir / ch'ora è diletto / ch'ora è martir. / Gelo, e poi sento / la'alma avvampar / e in un momento / torno a gelar. / Ricerco un bene / fuori di me. / Non so ch'il tiene / non so cos'è. / Sospiro e gemo / senza voler, / palpito e tremo / senza saper. / Non trovo pace / notte, nè dì, / ma pur mi piace / languir così. / Voi che sapete / che cosa è amor / donne vedete / s'io l'ho nel cor. / Donne vedete / si'o l'ho nel cor. / Donne vedete / si'o l'ho nel cor._"

Smiling with complete happiness, she looked up, her eyes sparkling. The hosts all clapped enthusiastically.

Oelrichs came home to homemade enchiladas, pinto beans, refried beans, Mexican rice, and a daughter who laughed and shone with happiness as her friends accepted her completely into their midst. He merely smiled.

.*.*.*.

Life improved dramatically for Dani after the hosts found out she was a girl. Now, they were careful of what cosplays they put her in and how they tossed her around. Tamaki took to calling her _sorella_ because he pronounced _hermana_ "HUR-mayn-uh" and Dani nearly had a heart attack the first time that happened. Apparently, Tamaki and Kyoya had gotten married before she joined, and instead of polygamy, Tamaki decided to adopt her. She'd rather that than another "daughter" like poor Haruhi who was molested on a daily basis. Dani had to stage several interventions to prevent Haruhi being stuffed unceremoniously into some ridiculous costume or another. Hikaru and Kaoru decided Dani was their new doll and often whisked her away to model one of their creations, or their mother's, because she wasn't "nearly as flat as Haruhi!" Neither Dani nor Haruhi could figure out which one of them should be more insulted.

Dani now accepted Hunny's frequent hugs, and returned them. Hunny was so warm and amiable that Dani actually apologized for being so aloof to him for so long. He merely smiled a mysteriously knowing smile and said "That's okay, Dani-chan! You did what you needed to do!" The only relationships that didn't change were between Kyoya and Mori. After the initial shock had worn off, Kyoya accepted the tiny detail with surprising grace, and that was that. If anything, it solidified. Dani was one of the few who could see right through him, and quietly encouraged him from the sidelines. Mori…Dani was almost afraid of. It's not that he was terrifying, per se, but she didn't know why he could throw her heart out of sync and steal the breath from her lungs. And she often found herself dwelling on something little, like any little lingering touch, the shape of his eyes, the way the light fell on his face, the curve of his cheek, the tiny hint of a smile when he turned his eyes to her…

"DANI!" Tamaki yelled, smacking his hand on her desk. Dani startled badly and looked around wildly.

"_¿Qué pasó? ¿Qué coño?_" she yelped. A few people chuckled. The teacher looked confused and so did Dani until she realized that this is Japan. "Erm…sorry, what?"

"What happened in 1862?" the teacher repeated. Dani blinked.

"The Battle of Puebla?" she offered with a smile. The girls in the class sighed.

"_¡Olé!_" One of the boys in the back yelled out. Everyone cracked up, Dani the hardest. _Popularity for who I am is a lot nicer than celebrity_, she decided.

November was chilly, and soon the brilliant leaves turned brown, and Dani began shivering uncontrollably. One day she walked into the club room only to see Hikaru and Kaoru with their sleeves rolled up and several models of bikinis strewn around the room. She paled.

"Are you two seriously working on bathing suits in _Novembre_?" she asked incredulously. They grinned at her.

"Gotta get a head start on the other designers, don't we?" they stated. Dani shivered.

"It's too cold for me," she mumbled. Hunny attached to her waist and suddenly flinched away when he felt her cold hands through his blazer and shirt.

"Dani-chan, you're really cold. Feel her hands, Takashi! They feel like ice cubes!" Hunny declared. Mori came over and carefully took Dani's hands in his own. Dani's heart decided to lodge itself in her throat.

"Mmm, they are cold," he answered, and left, only to come back with a hot cup of tea for her. Dani blushed heavily. Mori smiled at her. She blushed more.

"HEY GUYS COME OVER HERE!" Tamaki yelled. Everyone exchanged glances, and made their way over to a large circular table they sat around. Tamaki whipped out his King Arthur crown and declared, "Now, my fellow Knights of the Round Table—"

"LAME!" Hikaru and Kaoru called out. Tamaki melted into a puddle of sadness and despair. The twins cracked up, and Dani prodded the puddle of Tamaki with her toe.

"Tamaki, get up. Come on, the twins are just having a laugh. What did you call us for?" Kyoya answered for Tamaki who stubbornly stayed on the ground.

"Plans for Christmas. We're going to decide what to do as a club," he said coolly, still writing in his notebook. Dani bit her lip in thought.

"Christmas? Well, how do the Japanese celebrate Christmas?"

"Eh, we really don't. We just use it as an excuse to date and buy presents. I don't even know what Christmas celebrates, to be honest," Hikaru said. Kaoru nodded. Dani's jaw hit the floor.

"WHAT?" she gasped. Everyone stared at her blankly. Dani was very close to being very upset.

"Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He was born to a virgin, Mary, who was very poor and married to Joseph. In the days of King Herod, Caesar Augustus declared that he would take a census and all men and his wife and children must return to their hometown. So Joseph and Mary set out for Bethlehem because Joseph was descendant of King David. But when they got there Mary knew it was time to have the baby. They knocked on many doors, but there was no room in the inns. So Joseph and Mary had to make do with a stable, and that is where she gave birth to the King of Kings, God's only begotten Son, who would die on the cross for the sins of the world," Dani informed them. The hosts stared at her. She mock-pouted. "That's the short version, anyway. So Christmas means a lot more to me than to you because it's a holiday I actually celebrate."

"How was He born to a virgin if it takes a man and woman to have se—" Hikaru started before Haruhi slapped a hand over his mouth, blushing furiously. Tamaki rose from the ground like a zombie, eyes blazing.

"How dare you say that word in front of my daughter!" he yelled, and Haruhi rolled her eyes.

"_Callate_, Tamaki. To answer your question, Hikaru, that's the entire point. It was a miracle because nothing is impossible with God," Dani answered. Hikaru frowned in thought and kept thinking. Tamaki loomed over him threateningly until Dani and Kyoya plopped him into his seat. "Now that that's explained, let's plan the _partito_." Kyoya flipped to a new page.

"Do we have to do a party? Why can't we just, I dunno, not do anything? I can think of a lot of other things I'd rather be doing," Haruhi suggested, sounding very resigned. Dani nodded slowly.

"I have to agree. Christmas is a big deal for me. Besides, it's my first Christmas with my Dad," she said rather timidly. Tamaki teared up and tackled Dani out of her chair. "GWAH!"

"OH GAWD, DANI YOUR FIRST CHRISTMAS WITH YOUR DAD I CAN'T BELIEVE IT OH POOR DANI YOU HAVE BEEN DEPRIVED OF YOUR FATHER AND HOLIDAY CHEER—!"

"I HAVE NOT, SO GET OFF!" Dani yelled shoving him violently off of her, and crawled back into her chair. Tamaki wrapped his arms around her waist and sobbed into her side.

"IT'S JUST TOO TRAGIC AND I WANT YOU TO HAVE THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER—!"

"_PÍNCHE CHAMACO_, GET OFF!"

"NOOO POOR DANI'S LIFE HAS BEEN SO SAAAAD!"

Dani kneed him in the solar plexus. With a strained "oof!" Tamaki let go, pouting. Dani parked herself firmly on her chair. "I. Am not. Moving." She declared. The twins snickered.

"I think we should just have a party for the whole school sponsored by the host club, Tama-chan!" Hunny announced, inhaling another slice of cake. Kyoya wrote it down.

"Can I go home yet?" Haruhi asked no one in particular. Dani sent her a sympathetic look. Suddenly Dani's cell phone rang. Making an apologetic face, she pushed the button to talk but before she could say hello—

"DANI!"

It surprised her so much she fell off her chair again, making the twins chuckle. "Dad! _Perché__ti ostini__a gridare__contro di me__quando rispondo__il mio telefono_?"

"Sorry Dani, but my company is having a last minute social tonight. In half an hour. I'm sending Honda over to pick you up now. Is Haruhi there?"

Dani frowned and glanced at Haruhi who was looking bored out of her mind. "Yeah, why?"

"You're encouraged to bring a date."

"…whut?"

"Dani, it's an upper class thing. Bring Haruhi as your so-called 'date'. Don't forget you're still Daniel in public. Besides, Haruhi may provide some better conversation than some of the old farts I work with."

"Dad!"

"What? It's true! Now hurry up. There's a freshly pressed uniform in the limo for you. Honda will be there soon." Click. Dani stared at the phone for a minute. Then she glanced at Haruhi with an enormous cheesy grin on her face.

"Haaaaaaruhiiiii! Whatcha doin' tonight?" Dani asked in an innocent tone of voice. Haruhi gazed at her out of the corner of her eyes warily.

"Going home…"

Dani scooted her chair closer to Haruhi, still smiling cheesily. "Is that it?"

"…Yeah…ACK!"

Dani wrapped Haruhi in a hug and squeezed. "Haruhi will you do me a favor?"

"What?"

Dani thought about it for a second, and knelt on the ground, taking Haruhi's right hand in both of her's. Tamaki gasped and burst into tears. "Haruhi, I need a date."

"WAAAAAAAAH!" Tamaki wailed. Kyoya wedged cotton into his ears. Hunny's mouth dropped open, the twins eyes nearly fell out, and Mori looked shocked and was that…hurt that just flashed across his eyes?

Haruhi was confused. "But you're a—"

"Girl, I know. But everyone except you guys think I'm still a dude and Dad's company is having some sort of party tonight and I was _strongly encouraged _to bring a female date," Dani explained, sitting back in her chair again. "Sorry about attacking you like that."

"That's fine. Uh, sure I'll go." But no sooner had the words left poor unfortunate Haruhi's mouth than she was tackled, dragged into a changing room, thrown an Ouran girls uniform, white tights and nice brown shoes, dragged out, tossed into a chair where hair extensions were clipped in, makeup applied, and nails done. The twins stood back and admired their handiwork. Their faces split into grins.

"TA-DA!" they yelled, gesturing to Haruhi who was swaying back and forth.

"I feel sick…" she mumbled. Dani grimaced.

"I don't blame you," she agreed. A knock sounded at the door and Honda, Dani's Dad's chauffeur, stuck his head in the room.

"Pardon the intrusion. Miss Danica, I have your spare uniform here. The limo is outside the North gates," he said quietly, hanging the newly pressed uniform on the door handle. He backed out silently. Dani quickly changed and grabbed hers and Haruhi's bags.

"I gotta go. _Ciao! Vamanos, _Haruhi!" she exclaimed, and they left. The hosts stared at the door in shock.

"Did Dani-chan just take Haru-chan out on a date, Takashi?" Hunny asked, breaking the silence. But Mori didn't respond. He just stared at the door in silence, his eyes betraying nothing.

In the limo, Dani sighed heavily. Haruhi did the same. Dani flopped across the seats, and sighed again.

"Haruhi, I have no idea how you put up with them for so long. I would have been _loco_ months ago," Dani said. Haruhi nodded.

"It's nice not being the only girl there anymore though. I'm not the center of attention all the time," she replied. Dani nodded.

"I can see where you're coming from. _Ma_, how on earth did you get wrapped into that?"

"Broke a vase."

"How?"

"I was looking for a quiet place to study and ended up in the music room. I backed into a pillar and knocked the vase off of it."

"Ugh. I remember doing that with a wheelbarrow once on my way to sell blankets in Mexico. Only they were a bunch of clay pots. _Señor_ Armando was not happy. He made me replace them. But that is how I learned pottery, so I guess it was sort of a blessing in disguise…" Dani added as an afterthought. She smiled at Haruhi who smiled back. Dani sat up and tentatively hugged Haruhi again.

"I'm glad we're friends, Haruhi. I've never had a girl friend before," she muttered shyly when she let go. Haruhi smiled at her.

"I'm glad we're friends too, Dani," she responded, patting Dani's hand in a friendly way. Dani smiled, pleased. "But this party…what is going on and why am I here?"

Dani shrugged. "I have no idea. Dad told me his employees are expecting me to bring a date. He told me to bring you for stimulating conversation." Haruhi choked down an amused snort.

"Will there be other people there our own age?" she asked. Dani shrugged again.

"_Yo no sé_. Dad's really vague on details."

"At least your Dad does something relatively normal."

"What do your parents do?"

Haruhi glanced at her hands. "Well Mom was a lawyer before she died."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It happened when I was very little. And Dad works at a bar."

"Bartending?"

"Cross-dressing."

Dani gasped. "There are such things as cross-dressing bars?"

Haruhi was taken aback. "You've never heard of tranny bars?"

"No, what's that?"

"Transvestite?" Dani's face was blank. Haruhi sighed. "Transvestites are people who cross-dress."

"And there are entire bars for that?"

"Yes."

Dani's mind was boggled. "Whoa." Haruhi stared at Dani, amused.

"Dani-sempai, you're weird."

"I'm foreign."

"You said it not me."

"You implied it."

"Now you're putting words in my mouth."

"I did no such thing."

"Yes you did."

"I plead the Fifth!"

Haruhi paused. "What's that?"

Dani shrugged. "I have no idea. Dad says that when he doesn't want to answer my questions. I think it's an American thing."

"Oh."

"Miss Danica, Miss Haruhi, we've arrived," Honda announced, holding the door open. Dani gave Haruhi a look.

"Here we go!" she said. She stepped out and offered her hand to Haruhi who stepped out rather gracefully for a girl who had almost no sense of social graces of the upper class.

"You'll find your father in the Sapphire Conference Room, up the stairs, second door to your right, Mr. Daniel," Honda told her. Dani nodded, and then frowned in confusion.

"Why's it called the Sapphire Conference Room?" she asked.

"All the major conference rooms are named after the birthstones of his children. His son's birthday is in September, and the birthstone for September is the sapphire," Honda explained. Dani nodded, saving the information for later, and Haruhi gaped as Honda drove away.

"I thought you were an only child, Dani-sempai. There are more?" she asked, accepting Dani's arm.

Dani escorted her inside. "Well, I'm the only child between my Dad and _Mamá_, but Dad was forced to have a society wedding, and has two children by his second wife. They're both younger than me," Dani explained in a hushed voice as they entered the enormous building. Both their jaws dropped.

The entrance of the hall was entirely green marble, gold leaf, shining brass, sparkling Austrian crystal, and expensive mahogany. The green marble was covered from the door up the stairs by a deep red carpet that would have been garish if it wasn't more burgundy than red, like fine wine. Molding and ceiling decorations were covered in polished gold leaf, and the elevators and stair rails were of shining brass. The walls were painted a deep forest green, trimmed with more gold molding, and occasionally accented by crystal light fixtures which all seemed to be smaller versions of the gargantuan chandelier on the ceiling that sent little rainbows dancing. To the left was a small waiting area with nice dark brown leather chairs and a sofa. There was a coffee table amid the chairs and sofa, and two end tables flanking the sofa, all made of mahogany. On the two end tables stood two lamps that imitated the chandelier. To the right was a guard's desk with three guards in uniform sitting and waiting. When Dani and Haruhi stopped gaping, they started towards the majestic marble staircase.

"Excuse me, sir and miss? You're not supposed to be here. This isn't your school," one of the guards said, standing up. Dani looked over and smiled charmingly at him.

"Oh no, you'll find I am supposed to be here. You see, the owner and CEO of Hapag-Lloyd is my father."

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave before you cause any trouble," another guard said, coming out from behind the desk. The smile on Dani's face slid off faster than it being slapped off, and she dropped Haruhi's arm. Haruhi looked alarmed and stepped backwards.

"_Perdone_? ¡_Madre de Dios, se olvidó de que iba a venir!_" Dani ranted. Suddenly the guards broke into smiles and bowed. Dani stared at them in bewilderment.

"Oelrichs-sama told us to only let the Ouran students pass if one of them spoke in a different language. Welcome to the Japanese headquarters of Hapag-Lloyd, Mr. Daniel Oelrichs and guest," the first guard said. Dani stared at them and then at Haruhi who looked just as puzzled.

"Oh, right. Well, _grazie_. Who are you three?" she asked them. They straightened and smiled.

The first guard spoke. "Ryo Takahashi, at your service!"

The second added: "Domeki Hinamori, at your service!"

The third one finally said, "Hiroki Yuiki at your service!"

Dani nodded. "Very good. Thank you for your vigilance. Although next time you could ask for a form of identification." They all grinned. Holding out her arm to Haruhi once more, they ascended the staircase, and they had a good laugh when they were out of sight.

At the gigantic mahogany doors, they paused, and nervously straightened their uniforms. A large brass plaque announced that this was the Sapphire Conference Room. Haruhi glanced at Dani, and Dani glanced back.

"Be charming, Haruhi!" Dani exclaimed brightly. Haruhi smiled and shook her head.

"I could say the same to you, Dani-sempai," she retorted. Dani took a deep breath, and pushed open the doors.

Dani felt Haruhi's knees go weak beside her, but Dani couldn't care less. Her eyes were large as dinner plates and her jaw unhinged. For a few heart-stopping moments, they stood in complete and total awe.

A shining white marble floor stretched out before them, flecked with spots of deep blue. The walls were painted a light, professional blue, the moldings all around the room a brilliant white. A behemoth mahogany conference table sat in the middle of the room, surrounded by twenty two identical, heavy-looking, ornately carved mahogany chairs. The wall opposite Dani and Haruhi was entirely windows, punctuated neatly by heavy navy blue drapes. One end of the room had a portrait of a gentleman from years past displayed, at the other end hung a portrait of William, Dani's younger half-brother. Along the wall next to the door was an impressive bar where most of the men were milling around, and hanging from the ceiling were three tastefully understated chandeliers. After a few seconds of gaping, Dani snapped out of it and nudged Haruhi who put her eyes back in her head. The door finally closed, and Dani put on a brilliant smile.

"Dani! I was wondering when you'd get here! Haruhi, it's very nice to see you again," Oelrichs announced, coming over and embracing his daughter and bowing to Haruhi. Haruhi smiled bashfully and looked at her clasped hands. Dani grinned wider.

"Hi Dad! Is there any food?"

Oelrichs laughed and thudded her on the back, making all of Dani's breath whoosh out of her in one fell swoop. Haruhi snorted with suppressed laughter beside her. "Of course there is! What sort of company do you think I run, anyway?"

"A shipping company, Dad." Oelrichs laughed, and led Dani away. Dani grabbed the still chortling Haruhi and dragged her along.

"Dani, I'd like you to meet my second in command here at the Japanese branch of Hapag-Lloyd, Mr. Hiroshi Dodahara. Dodahara, my dau—son! Daniel, and his classmate Haruhi Fujioka." Dani and Haruhi bowed simultaneously. Dodahara bowed and smiled stiffly.

"Yes, charmed I'm sure," he drawled in a bored voice. He was a slightly built man, but his air of I-do-NOT-want-to-talk-to-children made him seem aloof and rude. He turned away and returned to the bar to pour himself more sake. Dani and Haruhi exchanged glances, then looked at Oelrichs for an explanation. Oelrichs just rolled his eyes.

"He gets work done well and thoroughly, but he's got such a stick up his ass that I really can't stand to talk to him for more than a few minutes. Which is why there's a lot of sake here tonight, girls. None for you." Oelrichs gestured for them to follow him, and they did.

"Dodahara? Isn't that the last name as one of your clients?" Haruhi asked in a whisper. Dani frowned in thought.

"I think so…but I can't think of who."

"Perhaps it's—" Haruhi was cut off by Oelrichs turning around and smiling, presenting a smiley rolly-polly man to them.

"Daniel, Haruhi, I'd like to introduce you to…" on and on it went. Oelrichs led them around the room, introducing them to all of the important men in his employ. Some sneered at the teens, others smiled and bowed or shook hands, and a few didn't even acknowledge their presence.

"_Madre de Dios_, how many people can my dad possibly fit in one room?" Dani griped, bewildered and rather huffy after being snubbed by that one short man without hair with the weird name. _Esperame, they're all like that_, Dani thought to herself.

"I have no idea. Is it over yet?" Haruhi grumbled. Dani heard her stomach rumble. Dani grinned.

"Let's go get some food, Haruhi," she said, but before they could sneak away, a loud gasp was heard behind them.

"Oh, Richie! Is this your son?" a female voice squealed and all of a sudden, Dani was being squeezed into the fakest boobs she'd ever felt (even though they were the first fake boobs she'd ever felt). Dani's face turned beet red with embarrassment, and she was too in shock to even consider returning the hug. After a few seconds of asphyxiation, Dani was released to her relief. Haruhi held her up as Dani gasped for breath. They looked up at Oelrichs who had a very pained expression on his face.

"For the last time Mrs. Suzuki, my name is Richard, not any shortened version thereof," he said, rather sharply. Mrs. Suzuki turned to him, fluttering her eyelashes flirtatiously.

"Now Richie, we're friends!"

"You're my banker, Mrs. Suzuki."

"I could be more. I _am_ a model too, you know."

Oelrichs sighed. Dani had an inkling that he'd gone through this conversation before. "I'm married."

"I'm Daniel Oelrichs, Mrs. Suzuki. His oldest son," Dani interrupted, bowing. Mrs. Suzuki extended a hand to Dani, and Dani wished there was a way to keel over dead spontaneously as she kissed it. Mrs. Suzuki's nails scratched Dani's palm as her hand was pulled away with a flirty giggle. Dani finally had a good look at her.

Suddenly Dani was transported back to Mexico City. She remembered that beautiful face plastered on every newsstand, billboard, and store for miles. Jimena…it was the only name she went by. She remembered staring at the gorgeous, glamorous woman in the pictures, wishing that she could have that sort of life too. Dani had rejoiced when Jimena was an international success, and wept when her husband drowned in a sailing accident in the United States. After that, Jimena never set foot again in Mexico if she could help it, and slowly the few tabloids that existed forgot about her.

Dani was speechless as she stared at her girlhood idol, and didn't hear a word of what was said until Haruhi pinched her arm. Dani jolted in surprise, and just caught onto the tail end of the conversation. "…think your son would enjoy her immensely," Jimena was saying to Oelrichs. Oelrichs smiled (grimaced) painfully.

"Oh is that so?"

"Of course. Ah, Sirena!" Suddenly Jimena's arm shot out and her clawed hand wrapped around the arm of a girl passing with a plate full of cucumbers, yanking her into the conversation. The girl squeaked in surprise, and suppressed a glare at Jimena as she was introduced. "Richie, this is my good friend Sirena. She's a new model from Venezuela."

Oelrichs frowned in confusion. "I thought you said she was from Mexico, like you." Jimena laughed airily and waved a hand in the air, dismissing the topic. Dani looked at Sirena. She was a petite little thing with long, beautiful black hair, Latina skin, and obviously Japanese eyes. She was dressed in designer wear, but looked more uncomfortable in them than not. She was quite pretty, even though she smiled a little too brightly to be sincere. Dani glanced at Haruhi, then Sirena. They both had the bored, get-me-the-hell-out-of-here look in their eyes. Dani fought a smile; Sirena was dragged here unwillingly.

"It's very nice to meet you, Oelrichs-san. Jimena-san speaks so highly of you," Sirena said in perfect Japanese, bowing. Dani and Haruhi stared. No matter how grown up this girl acted and dressed, Dani was sure that she was no older than them, and that Haruhi was thinking the same. Dani saw Jimena dig her elbow into Sirena's ribs discreetly. Dani's excitement of meeting her childhood idol diminished.

"I'm pleased to meet you too, Sirena. This is my son, Daniel, and his classmate Haruhi," Oelrichs said, bowing back to her, and gesturing to Dani and Haruhi who both bowed. Sirena bowed to them too.

"I'm very pleased to meet you both, Daniel and Haruhi," Sirena said politely.

"Just Dani, will do, thanks Sirena," Dani said. Jimena smiled a fake smile. _As fake as her boobs. What happened to the smiling girl-next-door I remember from Mexico?_ Dani wondered. Sirena smiled. Suddenly, Jimena squealed, "Daichi!" and dragged Oelrichs away who looked less than thrilled to be in her company.

Sirena, Haruhi, and Dani stood there, awkwardly silent, until Sirena spoke. "I apologize if Jimena-san said anything offensive. She does not know that some of what she says is often rude to people." Sirena bowed. Haruhi and Dani stared.

"Uh, Sirena-sempai, how old are you?" Haruhi asked incredulously. Sirena straightened up so fast Dani thought that she saw her practically bounce forwards and backwards with the momentum.

"I-I'm twenty-four," Sirena said nervously, smiling brightly while managing to look a little panicked at the same time. Haruhi gave her a disbelieving look, and Dani snorted in a very guy-like way.

"_Dios mio, no creo que tienes veinte y cuatro años_," Dani said in Spanish. She wondered if Sirena would understand if she was from wherever Jimena said she was from.

"_Sí, sé que__no me veo__veinte y cuatro años__de edad.__No sé__por qué se__constituye__como historias increíbles_," Sirena muttered in reply, then gasped and slapped her hands over her mouth, her plate of cucumbers landing on the mahogany table without dropping a single one. Dani grinned in triumph as Haruhi's mouth dropped open.

"AHA!" Dani declared, pointing at Sirena who looked as if she wanted to pass out from embarrassment and shock. No one bothered to look around at them. Haruhi nudged Dani again. Sirena was paling. Dani took her by the elbow to steady her should she pass out, but Sirena wretched herself away with a surprising amount of strength.

"Do you mind?" she hissed irately. Dani gestured to three chairs, and the three of them sat (Dani behaving the perfect gentleman at the same time).

"Sirena, seriously. How old are you? We won't tell anyone," Dani murmured. Haruhi scoffed.

"Who would we tell?" she asked, gesturing around the room at the people who weren't paying them any attention. Sirena looked around nervously, then seemed to deflate.

"Sirena is my middle name. My _real_ name is Kotone," she whispered, blushing. "And I'm seventeen years old."

"Okay now see? That makes a lot more sense. Hi Kotone! I'm Dani, and this is Haruhi," Dani said brightly. Haruhi smiled at Kotone. Kotone smiled uncertainly back. "How do you know Jimena?"

Kotone looked around again, then whispered conspiratively, "She's my mother."

Dani's jaw hit the ground. Haruhi slammed it closed again quickly. "But…but Jimena never had any children." Kotone snorted in distaste. Dani had to hand it to her: the girl knew how to snort.

"Yeah, no. She had me. But she was so embarrassed that she had a child, she didn't tell anyone about me. Dad was the one that was proud of me," Kotone muttered darkly.

"Where is your father, Kotone-sempai?" Haruhi asked. Dani gasped.

"_Oh mio Dio,__il tuo papà__di proprietà__Banche__Suzuki__e sposò__Jimena__e__ed__e_—!" Dani couldn't finish her sentence, she was too shocked.

"He drowned in a sailing accident," Kotone answered. "That's why my mom is in charge of Suzuki Banks." Haruhi was taken aback.

"I'm so sorry, Kotone-sempai," she gasped. Kotone nodded a smile of acknowledgement on her lips.

Dani quickly changed the subject. "So Kotone, what brings you to Japan? Or have you always lived here?"

Kotone shook her head. "I spent most of my life in New York City, but I sometimes travelled around with my mom or dad during the summers. Mom wanted to expand Suzuki Banks after my dad died, so she moved us here."

Dani's eyes lit up. "So you're an American girl!" Kotone chuckled.

"As American as I can be with a Japanese father and Mexican mother."

"That's cool! I'm Mexican! Well, some Italian mixed in with the Mexican, and half-American too, but I grew up in Mexico!" Dani exclaimed. Kotone's eyes lit up.

"Really? Where?"

"Mexico City!"

Suddenly Haruhi's stomach growled loudly. She looked sheepish. Kotone giggled as Dani stood up.

"I'll get us something to eat, Haruhi. What do you want?"

"Food. A lot of it."

"_Prego_." Dani walked off, and returned a minute later with an entire pizza still in its box, a plate full of shrimp, a few cups and a bottle of sparkling cider. Kotone burst into full-blown laughter, and Haruhi smiled, slapping a hand to her forehead and shaking her head. Dani smiled proudly. "_Tengo hambre_. Let's eat!"

The rest of the evening was spent in enjoyable conversation between the three girls (even though Kotone was under the impression that Dani was a boy), with a lot of laughter and tales of their shenanigans. When Jimena staggered over to "Sirena"—drunk—and proceeded to drag her out of the conference room, Kotone smiled at them and said, "This was the best business meeting I've ever been to. Thank you and I hope to see you again!" Haruhi and Dani grinned and waved at her retreating back.

"This wasn't such a bad night, Dani-sempai. Thank you for inviting me," Haruhi said once they had piled into the limo and went to take Haruhi home.

"Thank _you_ for coming, Haruhi. I really appreciate it." They smiled at each other, and hugged.

.*.*.*.

_December is almost here, Dani!_ the note Tamaki passed to her said. Dani rolled her eyes and wrote back _I know that._ Dani's phone vibrated and she checked the text message. _Will you two please cease passing notes? It's distracting. What are you, middle school girls?_ Kyoya had sent. Dani texted back _Baka, I AM a girl!_

It was the last week of November, and Dani was starting to get excited for the holidays. She had already started Christmas shopping with her dad for presents for her friends, and the staff was cleaning the house so that they could put up the Christmas decorations. Snow was in the forecast, and the season of Advent was upon them.

It was cold outside, but it didn't hurt Dani because the wind had died down, so the crisp, fresh air cleared her lungs and she hummed contentedly on her way to the North Hall with Tamaki and Kyoya, ignoring whatever harebrained idea Tamaki was telling Kyoya about. But she paid attention when Tamaki all of a sudden exclaimed "Hello Princess Shizu!" Dani looked around and smiled at Shizu who stood blushing in front of them, looking at Dani's feet.

"He-hello," she whispered. Dani smiled kindly, and Tamaki and Kyoya walked on, tactfully not saying anything. "A-are you busy right now, Dani?"

Dani shook her head and bent over Shizu's hand, brushing it with cold lips. "I'm never too busy for you, Shizu." Shizu blushed again, but smiled, her eyes sparkling.

"W-well, will you come with me? I would like t-to show you the greenhouses, and I have a few friends who would like to meet you," Shizu replied shyly. Dani smiled at her, and offered her arm. Shizu hesitantly took it.

"I'd love to see the greenhouses and meet your friends," she murmured gently. Shizu smiled, and led her to the Northeast of campus.

Dani chattered amiably to Shizu who hung on her every word as they walked, and soon a large glass building reared up in front of them. Dani stopped and stared for a moment, her eyes wide. Shizu giggled.

"It's really impressive, isn't it?" she asked quietly. Dani tore her eyes away from it and smiled down at Shizu.

"It's lovely, Shizu." Shizu blushed, but she tugged on Dani's arm to lead her around the greenhouse.

"My friends are waiting over here. I told them that you were the artistic host and they were really excited to meet you," Shizu exclaimed quietly. Dani smiled.

"That's very sweet of y—" as they rounded the side of the greenhouse, Dani froze in her tracks, the words dying in her throat, and all the blood draining from her face, her heart settling in her stomach.

Benio Amakusa heaved herself off the wall she was leaning against, and sauntered over to Dani, a smug leer on her face. Chizuru started cackling and Hinako yelled maliciously "Found you!" A dead feeling gripped Dani's chest, and she instinctively pushed Shizu behind her. Benio stopped in front of Dani, still leering. Suddenly her fist lashed out, glittering with brass knuckles, and collided with Dani's jaw, sending Dani sprawling. Shizu gasped and caught Dani, kneeling down next to her as she held a hand to her tender jaw. Shizu stared up at Benio angrily.

"Benibara, what was that for?" she demanded. Dani placed a hand on Shizu's arm.

"No, don't Shizu. Please," Dani implored, all pretenses of being a boy gone. Suddenly she was ripped from Shizu's arms and heaved up to stare into Benio's cold, hateful eyes. Benio grinned sadistically.

"Oh Danica, it was so difficult trying to find you," Benio mock-sighed. Dani felt her blood rushing in panic. "But here you are, at Ouran Suckademy, dressed like a boy, and part of that disgusting host club too." Benio spat in Dani's face. "If you hadn't been such a selfish bitch maybe we would have let you stay in the Zuka Club! Especially now that we see…" Benio's eyes raked Dani's body appreciatively, making Dani feel dirty, "what a lovely boy you make."

"I didn't want your fans, Benio. That was all your own doing. If you hadn't been such a jealous _puta_—" Dani was cut off by a knee rammed into her stomach. All the air in her lungs whooshed out, and she would have collapsed had Benio not been holding her up by her tie.

"Don't you DARE start with me, whore! You usurped my place as most talented and popular, and then you went and squealed on us. You'll pay for it." The brass knuckles cracked into Dani's cheekbone, breaking the skin, and sending her flying into the frozen Shizu's lap.

"D-Dani…" she murmured, staring down at Dani's prostrate form. Dani looked up her, and Shizu turned her face to Benio, shock, fear, anger, and confusion in her eyes. "Benio stop! Whoever you're looking for, he isn't them!" Benio laughed a high cruel laugh that sent cold shivers down Dani's spine. The back of Dani's uniform was yanked up, and suddenly there was a knife glinting in the cold winter sun. Dani shrieked as the knife cut into her uniform and the bandages that bound her tight, the tip grazing her skin and little droplets of blood started trickling down her exposed stomach. Shizu stared, speechless. Dani shivered uncontrollably.

"We came here to look for Danica Peretti, Shizu," Benio spat. Shizu's eyes were glued, horrified, to Dani who was trying in vain to warm and cover herself. "And we found Daniel Oelrichs. But lucky for us, they're one and the same. Isn't that right, _Danica_?" Benio asked, deceivingly sweet. Dani ignored her.

"Shizu, run. I don't want you to watch this," she whispered, blood dripping onto Shizu's dress.

"Dani, I—" Shizu started, but she was cut off when a baseball bat descended heavily onto Dani's head, cracking her skull, and blood started to soak her hair and cover her face. Dani struggled to focus her eyes on Shizu's pale face.

"GO, SHIZU! JUST GO!" Dani screamed, and then crumbled to the ground, almost completely unconscious. Shizu scrambled to her feet, tripped, and disappeared around the side of the greenhouse.

"That was very considerate of you to send poor Shizu away. It gives us more privacy," Benio purred. Dani did not say a word. "If you're wondering what she had to do with it, it's not much. She just nattered on and on about the most wonderful man at school named Dani Oelrichs and how amazing and talented he was." Hinako made a gagging noise and Chizuru laughed. "Of course, we did our research and lo and behold here you are, waiting for us." Benio kicked Dani in the ribs hard, and Dani cried out weakly, feeling two ribs give. Benio smirked. "How do you like my steel-toed boots? They protect my feet so well." Another kick. Dani cried out again, quietly. "Can't say the same for you though." Another kick. Dani gasped and rolled onto her side, gasping for air and coughing up blood. Dani sobbed soundlessly, tears mingling with blood.

"We told you that you'd regret saying anything," Chizuru mocked, kicking Dani in her knee so hard she felt it crack. Dani screamed in agony and looked down to see it at an unnatural angle. She nearly passed out.

"Stop," she whispered. They laughed mercilessly.

"So you can rat on us again? No way," Hinako chuckled. Benio knelt down next to Dani and stroked her face gently, making Dani flinch away. Benio smirked, and started to undo Dani's belt. Dani screamed as loudly as she could (something was wrong with her lungs, she kept choking on her own blood), but Chizuru silenced her with a baseball bat to the face. Dazed and in pain, Dani dropped to the ground, listless and unable to help herself. Weakly, she tried to push Benio off of her, but Benio only slammed her wrist to the ground and stomped on it until it no longer resembled a wrist. Dani sobbed, choked, and tried not to move. Hinako pushed her into a sitting position and started strangling Dani with her own tie until she started seeing black spots only to roughly cut the rope with a nasty looking knife (and left a three inch gash next to Dani's Adam's apple), and strangled her with an actual rope that burned and pricked. Benio freed Dani's belt from her pants, and the other two girls roughly flipped Dani over making her scream in pain. Her hip was on fire and she couldn't move it. Her broken knee was at a weirder angle, and her damaged wrist was caught. Suddenly she felt a sharp sting across her back and yelled again. Benio had whipped her with her own belt, the belt buckle tearing skin away like a potato peeler. Over and over Benio lashed Dani's back, and Dani felt the edge of oblivion creeping in.

She was flipped again, and white hot pain seared up her spine but she could no longer cry out. Benio, Chizuru, and Hinako stomped on each part of skin they could reach, and she was whipped even more.

The pain was too much and Dani could barely think. She couldn't remember where she was, who had hurt her, or why she was bleeding. The Lobelia girls slid in and out of focus, and Dani blinked to clear her vision. It was worse. The Lobelia girls had disappeared. That meant an end to the fresh pain. Dani tried to call out for help, but she couldn't open her swollen jaw. Tears mixed with the frozen mud beneath her that had been made with blood and cruel laughter. She was cold…so cold…her blazer and shirt were ripped to shreds, and her tie was still entirely too tight. At least her bra was somewhat intact. The bandages that had bound her were useless now, ripped and covered in blood. Dani stared up at the gray sky and gasped for breath.

_Someone…per favore…ayudame_, she thought. And then her world went black.

…

**Um, yes well…**

**Hi there?**

**It's been a while, yes? But this is a 22 page chapter so I hope it was worth the wait. I really have nothing to say for this chapter except please review?**

**Kotone is my sister's OC from her story "Short". It's HunnyxOC. Super funny, super cute. I had to include Kotone here because she is such a riot. And because her mother is a whore and would totally hit on Dani's dad.**

**The aria at the beginning of this chapter is "Voi che sapete" by Mozart from my favorite opera, "Le Nozze di Figaro" (The Marriage of Figaro). I have sung that aria for years. I love it. Dani sings it in this chapter too! The translation is funny. Please look it up because it definitely pertains to the MorixDani part of the story, even though Dani is clueless as a baby about romantic love.**

**Hapag-Lloyd is an actual Germany based shipping company. Late 1800s, they sent a higher-up to be in charge of the company in the US of A, and his name was Hermann Oelrichs. He was in line to get the company, but he didn't. It passed on to someone else who merged it with another company, then that guy died and another guy came to own the (enormous) company and merged it with another company making Hapag-Lloyd as it is today. I took the liberty of making Hermann Oelrichs actually get the company, then pass it down through the generations. He is the gentleman in the portrait in the Sapphire Conference Room across from William Oelrichs.**

**Please review! I want to have a chapter for you amazing people by the time I get back from visiting family in California.**

**I love you guys. So much.**

**~La Principessa Dell'Opera**

**P.S.**

**Wa totemo zan-nendesu- I'm so sorry (Japanese)**

**Lo siento- I'm sorry (Spanish)**

**Mi dispiace- I'm sorry (Italian)**

**Ragazzi- guys (Italian)**

**Esperame- Wait a sec (Spanish. Literally translated to "wait for me")**

**Molto grazie, miei amici- Thank you so much my friends (Italian)**

**Sorella- sister (Italian)**

**Hermana- sister (Spanish)**

**¿Qué pasó? ¿Qué coño?- What happened? What the fuck? (Spanish)**

**Battle of Puebla- a battle between the Mexicans and French. Obviously, the Mexicans won. That's where Cinco de Mayo comes from. And silly me, I forgot that was Mori's birthday, so I made it Dani's birthday too! Should I change it or keep it?**

**Novembre- November (Italian)**

**Callate- shut up (Spanish)**

**Partito- party (Italian)**

**Pínche chamaco- fuck you brat, dammit man, etc. (Mexican swearing/slang)**

**Perché****ti ostini****a gridare****contro di me****quando rispondo****il mio telefono****?- Why do you insist on screaming at me when I answer my phone? (Italian)**

**Ciao- bye (Italian)**

**Vamanos- let's go! (Spanish)**

**Loco- crazy (Spanish)**

**Ma- but (Italian)**

**Señor Armando- Mr. Armando (Spanish)**

**Yo no sé- I don't know (Spanish)**

**Perdone?- Excuse me? (Italian)**

**¡Madre de Dios, se olvidó de que iba a venir!- Mother of God, he forgot I was coming! (Spanish)**

**Grazie- thank you (Italian)**

**Madre de Dios- Mother of God (Spanish)**

**Dios mio, no creo que tienes veinte y cuatro años- My God, I do not believe that you are twenty-four years old (Spanish)**

**Sí, sé que****no me veo****veinte y cuatro años****de edad.****No sé****por qué se****constituye****como historias increíbles- Yeah, she knows that I don't look twenty four years old. I don't know why she makes up such incredible stories (Spanish)**

**Oh mio Dio,****il tuo papà****di proprietà****Banche****Suzuki****e sposò****Jimena****e****ed****e—****!- Oh my God, your father was the owner of Suzuki Banks and married Jimena and and and—! (Italian)**

**Prego- Okay, gotcha, etc. (Italian slang)**

**Tengo hambre- I'm hungry (Spanish. Literal translation "I have hunger")**

**Baka- Idiot (Japanese)**

**Puta- bitch, whore, slut, etc. (Spanish. Just as bad as saying "bitch")**

**Per favore- please (Italian)**

**Ayudame- help me (Spanish)**


	8. Chapter 7: Adrift

**The idea of me actually owning anything is laughable. Except Dani, her Dad, Takeno, and Shizu.**

Chapter Seven:

Adrift

_Or_

Eternal Snow

Mori was glad Hunny was eating cake and not paying any attention to him at the moment. He knew that he wouldn't pay attention to his cousin, then he'd get upset with himself and punish himself and Satoshi would try to cook some _miso_ soup to make him feel better, and if one didn't feel awful before Satoshi's _miso_ soup, one would definitely feel it after. But that was neither here nor there. _Danica_ rang through his mind, making his pulse race deliciously, butterflies woke up and frolicked in his stomach, and he couldn't breathe properly. She was exotic, she was captivating, she was different, she was sweet, she was beautiful, she was talented, she was kind, she was generous, she was selfless, she was polite, she was happy, she was everything that he dreamed of. She shined and sparkled and brought life to the world. She was precious and delicate, but strong and sometimes intimidating. Mori never imagined feeling so strongly for someone; never felt the overwhelming urge to embrace her, to kiss those enticing lips and touch that flawless face, hold her close forever and never let go…

Mori stood quickly and went to the window to look out at the frostbitten grounds. The only problem was he was unsure how she felt towards him, and he wasn't exactly the best at expressing emotion. He was mortified at the idea of coming straight out and telling her how he felt and asking for a date. He chuckled inwardly. She'd probably explode from the force of her blush if that happened.

She wasn't perfect though, she'd proven to him, and that only made her better in his eyes. She cried, she had a monstrous temper, and she had a weird habit of chewing on her thumb nails when she was nervous. She didn't notice, he thought, but she'd done it when he found out she was a girl (an incident that only made him blush furiously while remembering the soft curves of her body), and she'd done it as she told the host club about the Lobelia girls. Her Japanese was accented which brought a bit of charm to the way she spoke. She had a strange sense of humor that somehow fit with her boy and girl personas. Her imperfections made her just as wonderful in Mori's eyes. He shook his head slightly. He was becoming such a hopeless romantic! What was wrong with him? He'd have to spar and meditate for an extra two hours tonight. Tamaki was really rubbing off on him.

His musings were interrupted by Tamaki himself, loudly wondering what was taking Dani so long to get here, as club was about to start. Kyoya was disinterestedly typing away, and the twins were up to their shenanigans which involved bothering Haruhi, and Hunny was eating cake. Tamaki was running his hands lovingly over the keyboard Dani was going to play that day, as she had forgotten her guitar at home. Mori checked his watch. Dani usually wasn't this late.

"Well, she was with a client, so a confession may take awhile," Kyoya answered in a bored tone of voice. Mori's lips tightening was the only sign that he was trying to hide a smile. She'd probably be charmingly awkward about it!

"Assuming she remembers what language to speak in," the twins added gleefully. Mori looked away to hide a slight smile. But if Dani was dealing with her first face-to-face confession, perhaps it'd be comforting to be with someone she knew afterwards to calm her down. Also, her blushing was just too cute.

Mori moved to the door, but before he could reach for the door knob, it burst open so hard that it bounced off the wall. Standing there, looking nearly hysterical, her face flushed with exertion, sweat beading on her forehead, tears running down her face, and blood splattered on her dress was Dani's client, Shizu.

For a moment the host club was frozen, staring at the girl in horror as she gasped for air. Her eyes were wild and scared. Finally, she spoke up, her voice panicked, shrill, and louder than they'd ever heard before. "Stop staring! You have to hurry! It's Dani!"

Time stopped for Mori as an icy hand clenched his heart and it fell into his stomach, making it roil with a sense of foreboding.

"What about Dani?" Tamaki asked in a breathless rush. His voice seemed so far away from Mori. Time slowed as he watched Shizu dissolve into tears again.

"She—she's behind the greenhouse! Benio Amakusa found her!" she cried. Mori was falling. The only reason Dani had come to this school, the only reason she dressed as a boy, the only reason she was in the host club was to protect her. And not only did Shizu say Dani was a _she_, but she'd also said _Benio Amakusa_. The girl that had beaten her senseless at St. Lobelia's.

Then Mori was running through the North Hall, wondering when it had gotten so damn big. He paid no mind to the people calling his name. He didn't even stop to pat his younger brother on his head. The only thought in his head was that the greenhouse was too far away.

But there it was. The glass glittered coldly and mocked him and his feelings for Dani. He ignored it. Some signs were wrong.

He paused. Shizu had said behind the greenhouse. Were the Lobelia girls still there? Was Dani alright? Was she even alive?

That last thought spurred him to run around to the back of the greenhouse where his feet and his heart stopped.

There was Dani, lying half-naked in a pool of her own blood. Mori couldn't breathe. She was barely recognizable. Blood dripped sickeningly out of her mouth, and her hair was matted with it. Mori rushed to her side. She looked even worse up close. She was unnaturally pale, and her skin was frigid. A ringing filled Mori's ears as he shakily felt her neck for a pulse. There! It was weak, but it was there. He leaned down and pressed his ear to her mouth. Yes, she was breathing. He let his fingers brush lightly over her severely bruised cheekbone.

"Oh Dani," he whispered, and pressed a gentle kiss to the discolored skin.

Mori heard a gasp, and he looked up to see Tamaki turning a spectacular shade of green, Haruhi pale, Hikaru and Kaoru with hands clasped over their mouths, Hunny's eyes filling with tears, and Kyoya yelling shakily into his cell phone. Mori hastily removed his blazer and covered Dani's modesty with it, half-wondering to himself why he hadn't even noticed, and then felt cold disgust as he got a good look at the lacerations on her stomach and chest, and the nasty looking bruises on her ribs that looked out of place.

"Wait," Hikaru suddenly exclaimed, stopping Mori. Mori looked up, puzzled. Hikaru and Kaoru hesitantly took out cameras from their pockets.

"We'll give the pictures to the police and Dani's father. It could be used as evidence," Kaoru haltingly explained.

"Is she breathing?" Haruhi asked. Her voice came out more like a squeak. Mori nodded, not trusting his voice as he took the blazer from Dani so that the twins could snap as many pictures as they possibly could. Kyoya snapped his cell phone shut and started speaking in a shaky voice.

"An ambulance is on the way. Ouran security is searching for the Lobelia girls now. My family's police force is also coming to collect evidence," he stated emotionlessly. He seemed to be in a state of shock. The Hitachiin twins finished with their photos, and Mori covered her again. Then the heavy silence was split with the heavenly sound of sirens. Tamaki took a look.

"There's a crowd trying to see what's happened. Don't let them see Dani. They might figure her out," he said seriously. Everyone nodded.

"Someone should call Dani-chan's father," Hunny whispered. It was the only thing he'd said the entire time. The sirens got louder and the ambulance pulled up, a huge black truck with Kyoya's family's police force unloaded, and everything was being documented. Pictures were taken, a breathing mask was put over her mouth, along with gauze on several open wounds. As the paramedics loaded Dani into the vehicle, Mori stepped forward. A little voice in the back of his mind was telling him he was being obvious about his feelings for her, but at the moment, he couldn't bring himself to care.

"May I ride with her?" he asked them. The paramedics looked at each other, then at Mori.

"Yes," one answered. "But just you. There isn't enough room for them too," he added, nodding to the rest of the host club. Mori looked back at them.

"We'll be right behind you, Takashi!" Hunny declared. Tamaki and the twins nodded emphatically as silent tears fell from Haruhi's eyes and Kyoya pressed his downturned lips tightly together. Mori nodded, and hopped into the ambulance. Immediately the doors were slammed behind him, and the ambulance took off at a reckless speed towards one of Kyoya's best hospitals. Carefully, Mori took Dani's hand.

_Please, Danica. Please be alright_, he prayed. His eyes didn't stray from her battered face the entire time.

.*.*.*.

By the time the host club arrived at the hospital, Dani had been wheeled into emergency surgery, and she still hadn't woken. Mori paced outside the recovery room, waiting for her. They rushed to him and all began speaking at once.

"Where is she?"

"Is she alive?"

"Is she alright?"

"Is she comatose?"

"There wasn't any brain trauma was there?"

"What tests did they run?"

"What were the results?"

"Is it really terribly bad?"

"Is she sick?"

"Are there any infections?"

Mori blinked at the barrage of questions, unsure of how to answer. "They took X-rays, MRIs, CAT scans, and blood tests. She's in surgery now."

"WHAT!" Tamaki screeched. Haruhi looked horrified.

"Why is she in surgery?" she asked.

"Her hip is out of the socket, her knee splintered and dislocated, her wrist is shattered, two cracked ribs, and three broken ones, two of which pierced and collapsed a lung. Don't look at those X-rays," he answered. Haruhi drained of color. Mori turned away, and sat in one of the rather uncomfortable hospital chairs, hunched over and staring at his clasped hands. A shadow fell over his shoes.

"Hey Takashi, are you okay?" Hunny asked in a concerned whisper. Mori didn't look up.

"Yeah."

Hunny frowned. "Doesn't seem that way to me." Mori looked at him out of the side of his eyes. Hunny was uncharacteristically serious. He continued. "To most people it wouldn't seem that obvious, but we're always together, so it's obvious to me how much you like Dani-chan." Hunny's gaze did not waver as a light blush spread across Mori's nose. "Oh, that much, huh?"

Mori nodded once tersely.

Hunny nodded sagely. "Alright. Then ask her for a date!" Mori stared at his cousin, dumbfounded, not that many people would be able to tell anyway. Hunny giggled. "Come on, Takashi! I think she likes you too!" Hunny turned serious. "We almost lost her, Takashi. Kyo-chan says she's lucky to be alive." Mori's heart hammered painfully in his chest. "And if I were you, Takashi, I wouldn't wait anymore. You don't want to lose her, do you?" Mori shook his head, and that's when Tamaki sat down heavily on Mori's other side and pulled out his cell phone.

"Hi Dad, sorry to bother you, but this is an emergency. I need Mr. Oelrichs number where I can reach him right now," Tamaki started, uncharacteristically serious. A pause. "I'm serious. This is about Dani, and I don't know how to reach Mr. Oelrichs. Okay. Okay. Thanks Dad, bye." Tamaki hung up and dialed another number. "I need to speak to Mr. Oelrichs straight away please. It is an emergency. Suoh, my name is Suoh. Yes. Mr. Oelrichs! Thank God. You must come to the Ootori hospital in Northeast Tokyo; Benio Amakusa found Dani."

There was a deafening silence, followed by "_WHAT?_"

"Hurry Mr. Oelrichs. She'll be out of surgery any time now," Tamaki exclaimed. Mori heard a faint affirmation, and Tamaki hung up. The host club waited in dead silence. Mori, Tamaki, and Haruhi sat in a row, Haruhi clutching her hands tightly until Tamaki took her hand and they squeezed together. Kyoya paced the hallway, an anxious expression on his face. The twins leaned against the wall, fidgeting nervously. Hunny restlessly bounced on the balls of his feet.

An hour and a half later, a stretcher came into view and wheeled into the recovery room. The hosts stood and rushed in silently, surrounding Dani's bed. The nurse looked unsure if she should kick them out, but didn't as Mori quietly took the hand that wasn't in a cast, and gently kissed the fingers that weren't in splints. The blood was cleaned up now, but the bruises looked even worse against the paleness of Dani's skin. There were several stitches and staples on her head and what they could see of her chest. A breathing tube was inserted down her throat, and another up her nose. Two IV bags hung next to the bed, dripping into the needle in the hand Mori was holding. A doctor came in holding her chart.

"How bad is it, Doctor?" Kyoya asked briskly. The doctor eyed him suspiciously.

"I can only release her information to her family," he replied. Kyoya narrowed his eyes.

"I am Kyoya Ootori, Doctor. My father is the man that signs your paychecks. If you value your career, you would tell us just how bad she is. She is our dear friend," Kyoya retorted.

"Takashi's her boyfriend," Hunny added surprisingly. Everyone looked around at Mori, shocked, and Mori blushed, but didn't let go of Dani's hand. The doctor blinked, and opened the chart.

"It wasn't good, I'm afraid. Internal hemorrhaging in her kidneys and liver, caused by some deep bruises. Deep bone bruises on both her legs and arms. Dislocated hip. Severe concussion. Two hundred and seventy three stitches across her chest, stomach, and back. Thirteen staples in her scalp. Severely broken wrist, reset with five screws. Broken and hyperextended knee, reset with four pins. Lacerations to the throat and face, some of which were infected. Hairline fracture across her cheekbone we won't be able to do a thing about. A few broken fingers. Two cracked ribs. Three broken ribs, two of which pierced and collapsed her right lung. Internal bleeding in the stomach and small intestines. Hypothermia and pneumonia. And various other smaller cuts and bruises that should heal naturally." The doctor snapped close the chart and surveyed the gaping host club. "She's very lucky to be alive. If you hadn't found her so quickly, she could have frozen to death or bled out. When her father arrives, have the nurse page me." And he strode out of the room. The host club turned back to Dani's still form to find her beautiful green eyes open. She smiled at them.

"_Hóla_," she mouthed to them, looking at them one at a time, blinking sluggishly. A sob escaped from Tamaki's mouth as a tear rolled down Haruhi's face and the twins grasped each other's hands. Mori's hand tightened marginally around her fingers, Kyoya gripped the foot of the bed tightly to support him, and Hunny squeezed Usa-chan tighter than ever. She blinked slowly again and tried to speak.

"No, don't talk Dani. There's a breathing tube in your throat. A lung collapsed," Tamaki warned nasally. He was fighting tears. Dani nodded a tiny bit. She turned her head and looked Mori in his eyes. Mori felt his heart begin to race as Dani's eyes revealed a tenderness, and they sparkled with what Mori hoped were returned feelings. She smiled gently at him, and he kissed her fingers again. Her face registered surprise as her eyes went wide and her flush spread quickly down her face and neck, and her heart monitor increased in speed. The twins exchanged sly glances that neither Mori nor Dani saw. Suddenly heavy, running footsteps were echoing in the hall, and the hosts turned to see Mr. Oelrichs disheveled and out of breath in the doorway.

"The traffic…the traffic was awful…I ran here…Dani!" he gasped. The hosts parted and Oelrichs took Dani's other hand, the one in the cast. Mori and Hunny left the room, the others following suit. Dani smiled at her father as he reached out and stroked her face with the tips of his fingers. "Oh, my Dani," he whispered. He buried his face in their clasped hands and began to sob.

.*.*.*.

Kyoya strode into the waiting area where the other hosts were, looking too pleased. "Police have caught the three Lobelia girls. They are under arrest without bail and in a juvenile detention center. Police are interrogating Shizu Dodahara as we speak," he announced. The twins and Hunny looked relieved but Haruhi frowned in confusion and Tamaki spoke up.

"Why is Princess Shizu being interrogated by the police?" he asked.

Kyoya quickly pressed a few buttons on his cell phone. "Because after she came to get us, she ran to campus security and showed them this video." He hit the play button, and the sounds of Dani's screaming and three other girls laughing cruelly filled the room. Haruhi slapped a hand over her mouth, Hunny gasped, and Mori grabbed the cell phone, paling as he watched. Kyoya pried it from his fingers and stopped the video. "Apparently Dani told Shizu to run, and she did, but stopped around the side of the greenhouse and recorded the entire incident before running to the North hall."

"Brave girl," Mori remarked, and the chair he was leaning on with his hands snapped in two. Hunny coaxed Mori away.

"Takashi, maybe we should go home," Hunny suggested. Mori looked as if he'd refuse. Hunny shook his head. "I'm sure her father would rather be alone with her for now. We can always come visit tomorrow after school." Mori hesitated, then nodded. Hunny smiled sympathetically and pointed to the new room Dani had been moved to. "Go say good night then, Takashi."

Mori moved into the room where Dani lay quietly, her head turned towards the door as her father spoke on the phone. Her eyes moved to Mori's face, and she flushed again. Mori smiled slightly, and moved to sit next to the bed, where he could look into her eyes.

"I'm going home now, Dani," he murmured. Her eyes looked…disappointed. "But if it's alright with you, I'd like to visit tomorrow." Dani's eyes lit up and she smiled and nodded. Mori smiled too. "Good night Dani," he whispered. Time froze as he hesitated, but moved to press a shy kiss to her forehead. She flushed darker and her heart monitor raced. Oelrichs whipped around, but turned away again pointedly. Mori gently ran a finger along the curve of her cheek, and left.

In the limo, Hunny was unusually silent, letting Mori be alone with his thoughts. Suddenly a realization hit him: he'd kissed her! In front of the host club! When she was awake! If it wasn't obvious before, it would be now! He might as well tattoo "I 3 DANI" across his forehead! Mori blushed darkly and was glad the limo lights weren't on so that Hunny could see the blush. Mori's heart was speeding with his thoughts although his face didn't betray anything. But after today, Mori hoped that his theory was right and that she liked him back.

.*.*.*.

Dani decided that this is what Hell was like. Immobility, pain, and dependence. It hurt to do anything except blink. Even breathing was painful. It was like someone had stepped on her lungs with all their weight and expected her to breathe. Everything ached. Even her face hurt. Smiling at Mori had practically broken her cheekbones again. And to top it all off with that lovely proverbial cherry, she had pneumonia. Awesome.

Dani coughed weakly and her trachea protested, making her dry heave, making the stitches on her stomach and back protest which made her flop onto the bed again which make the stitches protest more and her head pound worse and her father run over.

"Are you alright, Dani? Do you need something? Does it hurt? Where does it hurt?" he asked in a rush, snapping his phone shut. Dani slowly brought her right hand up to her Adam's apple and stroked it, indicating her throat, then placed the hand on her chest, then stomach.

"Are you coughing again?"

Dani nodded. Oelrichs pushed the nurse call button and a pretty young woman appeared almost instantly.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"My daughter is coughing and it hurts her breathing and feeding tubes when she does. Can something be done?"

The young nurse strode to the IV, and checked it. "I'll go get some more pain medication and cough suppressant. Pneumonia is tricky to treat in a hospital; it can develop into another type of pneumonia, so we have to be careful what sort of medicine to give her. And because she can't walk, she'll need to use a bedpan." The nurse caught the look Dani had on her face of pure disgust and horror. She smiled. "It's better than a diaper, sweetheart." Dani seemed to consider that.

"How long is she staying here?" Oelrichs asked. The nurse checked the chart.

"She'll need to be here about a week or so, just to make sure that the pneumonia isn't getting worse, and to monitor the healing. Some of the stitches and staples will come out too, not to mention making sure that concussion doesn't develop into brain damage. I'm Takeno; I'm going to be your night shift nurse tonight, just press the call button anytime!" And with that, she left.

Oelrichs sat and gently took Dani's hand in his. Dani blinked sluggishly and sighed heavily. _I'm so tired_, her body language said. _I feel like mierda_, floated through her mind as the antibiotics started to take effect, making her sleepy and complacent.

"I'll stay with you the entire time, Dani. I'll make sure you're alright," Oelrichs promised. Dani frowned a bit in confusion.

_You have to go to work, don't you? You can't spend all your time in a hospital, you have a company to run_, she thought. Oelrichs smiled at her sadly.

"Don't worry about my company, _mija_." Dani wondered if he was a mind reader. "It'll be fine without me. You're more important." Dani's lips quirked into a smile as she struggled to stay awake. Oelrichs reached out and let his fingertips stroke her face, ghosting over multicolored skin, soothing and soft. Dani's eyes closed heavily, and soon she slept.

She had strange dreams that night. She was alone in a field of flowers, barefoot, her long hair brushing against her arms. The poinsettias, acacias, fuchsias, dahlias, Mexican sunflowers, and yuccas blooms brightly and the perfume filled the air, but as she walked farther, they gave way to cherry trees in full bloom, chrysanthemums, blooming apricot trees, camellias, orchids, lotuses, azalias, magnolias, and quinces. Wind rustled the leaves, and petals danced in the air, flowing around her, catching in her hair and settling in her clothes. Dani smiled. Then there was a rosebush before her, full of scarlet blooms. She reached out a hand to touch one of them when another grasped it. Startled, Dani looked up to see Mori, his visage softer than she'd ever seen it, offering her the rose. Slowly, unsure, she gently grasped the delicate stem, their fingers brushing. She didn't blush. She was lost in Mori's eyes again. Suddenly, the roses were gone, and all there was was sunlight and Mori as he cupped her cheek in his hand, and wound an arm about her waist. Dani's hands reached up to cradle his face in her hands, stroking his cheek, touching the silk-like hair at his temple.

_"I love you,"_ Dani whispered to him, and she didn't feel embarrassed or ashamed of what she said. Mori's eyes shone as he whispered to her: _Te amo_. Dani's heart raced as Mori leaned down, his arms sliding around her waist, hands sure and feeling as they traced her spine, her hips, her shoulder blades, the curve of her neck, the slope of her shoulder, the shape of her jaw, the line of her cheekbone, the jut of her nose down to the soft pink of her lips where they stayed. Time froze. And then a blast of pain shot up her arm and leg.

Dani woke, screaming in pain as the pain medication wore off and the full effect of what had happened to her smashed into her body. Everything hurt. This was carnal, animal pain at the basest of humanity. This pain was beyond comprehension. She couldn't think. Couldn't move. All there was was pain.

And then the pain was fading and a curtain lifted from her eyes. Her father stood there, clutching her hand, worry lines creasing in his forehead, and Takeno the nurse was checking her temperature. And Dani couldn't breathe.

She gasped and wheezed, but no air was flowing to her lungs. Panicked, she arched off the bed, but it felt as if she was being torn apart at the seams where the stitches were. Eyes wide and wild, she gasped again. Hands were grabbing her and she tried to scream but she couldn't get air enough to do so.

Suddenly, gloriously, thankfully someone struck her back, and one of the tubes in her throat adjusted, bringing air back into her lungs. Dani drank in the air, slumping back on the bed, half-conscious.

What Dani didn't know was that when the pain medication had worn off and she'd screamed, she had disrupted the oxygen tube down her throat, dislodging it. The collapsed lung had not been able to work properly, and the tubes obstructed the airflow. As she choked, Takeno had hurriedly turned her on her side, readjusted the lineup of the tubes, reset the oxygen machine, and thumped her on the back to loosen any mucus that had built up. Oelrichs put a hand to Dani's forehead. He frowned.

"She feels clammy," he remarked. Takeno put her hand to Dani's forehead, then cheek. Dani wheezed as she breathed, eyes gummy and feverish. Takeno quickly took Dani's temperature and immediately called the doctor. One look and the doctor turned to Takeno.

"We need her in the Intensive Care ward. Her other lung will collapse soon." Oelrichs paled, and Dani let out a sob of fear. She was in pain, she was sick, she was hurting, and she was afraid of what was happening to her. Her bed was wheeled into the hallway, and Dani's one good hand slid out of her father's grasp. Ignoring the burning in her throat, she let out a panicked cry and immediately regretted it. Takeno put Dani's hand back on her stomach gently.

"He can't go with you just yet, we need to stabilize you before we let people back to see you," she said as they wheeled her into an elevator and took her into a new room that smelled severely sterile. Another drip was hooked up to her IV, and a few moments later, Dani fell into a black, painless sleep.

.*.*.*.

Mori couldn't concentrate for the first time in his life. Not even when he'd broken his arm when he was seven did he have this bad concentration. But not only did his notes not make any sense, but he wasn't even sure he was writing coherent sentences. His thoughts were in a hospital ward with a girl who'd stolen his heart as if he had just offered it to her on a silver platter. He hoped they'd stabilized her lung. Perhaps they'd let her eat solid food soon instead of through a tube. Was her fever down? She wasn't coughing was she? Is she—

"Takashi," Hunny whispered, nudging his cousin's elbow. Mori blinked rapidly, then looked down. He hadn't written anything except illegible scribble. Frustrated, he forced his attention to the teacher, and shoved Dani from his mind which was harder than it seemed. Perhaps he should bury his feelings for her, conceal them as she concealed her gender.

But Dani was just too hard to forget. Mori was too far gone to try to conceal the truth. He realized this as he stepped through the door of the hospital that afternoon and was told by a nurse that Oelrichs had been moved to Intensive Care. Immediately, he took off for the room.

Dani was sleeping fitfully when he entered the room, and her father was asleep on the tiny chair in the room in a very uncomfortable-looking position. Dark rings were under both father and daughter's eyes.

Quietly, Mori woke Oelrichs who jerked in the chair in surprise. "Oh, Mori. Is everything okay? Does she need anything?" He immediately looked to his daughter. Mori shook his head.

"She's still sleeping. I'll stay with her if you'd like to go home to sleep, Mr. Oelrichs," Mori offered. Oelrichs stared at Mori; it was the first time he'd ever heard Mori say something more than one syllable. Slowly, Oelrichs nodded.

"My number is on the white board. Call me if _anything_ happens," he instructed Mori sternly. Mori nodded, and Oelrichs left. Mori took up the seat next to Dani's bed, and took her hand.

_You're too hard to forget. Too wonderful to ignore. How have I known you for such a brief time and fallen in love with you so quickly? Could you love me too?_ Mori thought. Dani shifted, letting out a small sigh. Mori looked at the machine monitoring her fever. It was 104.6°F. Had it spiked during the night? That must be why her hand felt so warm.

Mori sat with her for two hours before she woke up. Her fingers curled around his, and she turned slightly to look over. She seemed surprised to see Mori there instead of her father, but not unpleasantly so. Mori smiled at her.

"Hello," he said. She smiled, her ears flushing. Her heart monitor picked up. Dani flushed and averted her gaze. Mori found it cute. "Are you feeling better?" She nodded. Mori's eyes jumped to their intertwined hands and wondered if she'd let him lace their fingers together.

Her fingers twitched a little. They were swollen with blood, and an ace bandage wrapped the sprained wrist, but she could move it. Mori slowly—so painstakingly slowly!—laced his fingers with hers, and held on. Dani curled her fingers and held his hand. Elated, Mori looked up at Dani's bright red face and racing heart monitor. She was smiling shyly. He smiled too. And then he began to talk, more than he ever had in his life. He told her about kendo, competitions, Japan, his little brother, Hunny and his little brother, his own dreams, and finally himself.

Dani listened to everything he said with bright eyes, and undivided attention. She'd blush occasionally with pleasure that he was talking to her, but his eyes never left hers, and hers never left his.

Her fever broke that night as she slept, her hand still in Mori's. She stayed in the ICU a few more days to keep an eye on her lungs and the infections in some of the lacerations, and Mori visited her every day, occasionally bringing another member of the host club with him, along with her homework. He taught her what she missed in school, and read to her when she pointed to a book. He finished _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban _in three days, and _Goblet of Fire_ in five.

Finally, two-and-a-half weeks after her first admittance to the hospital, the tubes were removed from her throat, some stitches and staples removed, the splints on her fingers removed, and after another surgery in which the screws were removed from her wrist and pins replaced them, her wrist and knee were set into casts. The few sprains had finally healed, and her ribs were still tender and healing slowly. Swelling finally went down, and soon her face looked more normal than not.

Takeno was packing Dani's things together, and chatting happily with Dani who sat in the wheelchair.

"How old are you, Takeno?" Dani asked in a whisper. The tubes had left her throat sore and tender, making her whisper and mumble.

"I'm twenty-five."

"Wow, you're really young, aren't you?"

"Yes I am."

"Are you married?"

"No."

"Fiancée?"

"No."

"Boyfriend?"

"No."

"Girlfriend?"

"No. It's just me."

"Are you lonely?"

"Sometimes, but work keeps me busy and I don't have time to be lonely."

"Did you always want to be a nurse?"

"Yes. I always wanted to make people feel better, especially patients that are as sweet as you." Takeno smiled and ruffled Dani's hair. Dani giggled.

"I'm going to miss you, Takeno."

"Aw sweetie, I'm going to miss you too. Come back and visit me when you're all better, alright?"

"Okay!" Oelrichs walked in just that moment, smiling widely.

"Takeno, you've taken the best care of Dani since she's been here, and I was hoping that you'd agree to come with us and be her personal nurse. You're certainly qualified, and Dani likes you quite a bit," Oelrichs stated. Takeno straightened from the duffle bag full of stuffed animals Hunny and Tamaki had brought Dani, surprise written all over her face.

"Really?" she asked, bewildered. Dani's eyes were bright with excitement.

"I'll triple the salary you receive here, and give you lodgings in Rosecliff," Oelrichs added. Dani wiggled slightly in her wheelchair, grinning.

"_¿Por favor?_" she whispered. Takeno thought hard.

"May I bring my dog with me?"

"YOU HAVE A DOG?" Dani yelled excitedly, clutching her throat in pain. She was still grinning.

"Yes I have a dog. A little mutt called Pico," Takeno said. Dani grasped Takeno's hand in her own ace-bandaged and cast covered hands.

"Please?"

Takeno's dark brown eyes sparkled. "How can I say no? It's a very good opportunity." Dani threw her arms around Takeno's waist, and laughed airily.

"It's settled. I'll talk with your immediate supervisor, and then we'll all get going," Oelrichs declared, and left the room. Takeno smiled down at Dani.

"Well, Miss Dani, looks like we're going to see each other more often now, huh?" she asked. Dani nodded excitedly, careful of the stitches on the back of her neck. Takeno's smile shifted to a sly grin. "Sooo…then who's that tall, dark, handsome young man that comes to visit you?" Dani's blush spread so quickly across her face and ears that it looked almost like a cartoon. Takeno laughed.

"You two are too cute," she remarked. Oelrichs returned, and they all headed home.

"Dad, Dad! I wanna play my piano! Can I go play?" Dani asked happily when she was wheeled inside of Rosecliff. Oelrichs looked a little apprehensive.

"I don't think you can with your cast, _mija_." He caught a glance of large mournful green eyes and he sighed. "Alright, alright."

"_¡Vamonos, Takeno!_" Dani exclaimed, pointing the way to the music room. Takeno headed down the hallway. Oelrichs caught a look from the butler Suzumoto, and smiled. He followed the wheelchair down the hallway.

Dani eagerly opened the door and gazed longingly at her piano. Takeno flicked on the lights, and the chandelier flooded the piano and host club with light. Wait—

"WELCOME HOME, DANI!" everyone yelled in unison. Dani's eyes filled with tears, as Tamaki handed her a bouquet of yarrow, feverfew, peony, pink, white, and yellow roses, periwinkle, and freesias, Hunny handed her an enormous lollipop, Haruhi gave Dani a hug, the twins gave her fashionable slings and a nicer wheelchair, Kyoya presented her with a paid-off hospital bill (Dani choked in shock), and then Mori came forward, smiling gently.

He was cradling a small ball of fluffy fur with a tail that wagged happily. Dani gasped.

Mori knelt on one knee to be eye level with her. "Welcome home, Dani," he murmured. The puppy wriggled onto Dani's lap, and Mori kissed her hand.

**I'm completely aware that this is a very late chapter, but please please please forgive me! Summer classes ended, then we flew straight out to California where I celebrated my 21****st**** birthday, came straight back, and I packed up to come back to school. These first two weeks were brutal, man. Brutal. Freaking hurricane! AND EARTHQUAKE! NOT IN THAT ORDER!**

**But my roommates and I are getting a kitty cat, so I think that makes it all better. We named him Romeo because he just stole our hearts. :3**

**Please review! I've missed you guys, I really have.**

**Oh by the way! My sister ****Selestyna Arpa364**** has an Ouran story up called **_**Short**_**. You may have recognized her character Kotone in the last chapter. Well in a few chapters, Dani will be making her appearance in **_**Short**_**, so go read it! It's absolutely fantastic! I'm so proud of her writing abilities. I personally can't wait until Dani shows up! :D**

**The song is "Eternal Snow" is from the anime **_**Full Moon wo Sagashite**_**. The lyrics are extremely fitting for Mori and Dani.**

**I joined a group on campus called Gratia Plena. How appropriate. :D**

**Review please! The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll update! Reviews=love, and don't think I don't know who you people are that don't review!**

**To my faithful reviewers, I love you all more deeply than you can ever fathom.**

**Until next time, my friends!**

**~La Principessa Dell'Opera**

**P.S.**

**Holá- hi (Spanish)**

**Mierda- shit (Spanish)**

**Mija- honey, sweetheart (Spanish)**

**Te amo- I love you (Spanish)**

**Por favor- please (Spanish)**

**Vamanos, Takeno- Come on, Takeno!**

**P.P.S.**

**I totally just got an Ouran cosplay. Who do you think I cosplay from it? :D Leave your guess in a review!**


	9. Chapter 8: Truth of Hearts

**I own nothing except Dani, her father, their household, Shizu, and her family/servants. I wish I had something like that instead of a dorm and empty bank account.**

Chapter Eight:

Truth of Heart

_Or_

Me Enamoré de Ti

Finally, finally, _finally_ Dani could return to school. After three weeks of being out of school and being tutored at home by Kyoya and Mori, Dani's face had healed and gone back to its original shape, the rest of the staples and stitches had been removed, the bruises were mostly if not all faded, ace bandages were removed, her ribs were still rather tender, but healing nicely, and the only remnants of her ordeal were some still raised and red scars, and the cast on her knee and wrist. Takeno was always by her side, pushing her wheelchair, helping her bathe, putting her in bed, and being Dani's confidant.

Today, Dani was instructing Takeno how tight to bind her chest and telling her it was not tight enough, no it didn't hurt and will you please pull tighter I need to look like a boy!

"But you're still healing, and you don't need to be disguised any longer! Why do you need to be in the boy's uniform?" Takeno gasped, rewrapping Dani's chest again.

"I'm a host! I need to be a boy! Besides, I like pretending I'm a boy. They'll all find out at graduation anyway. And then it won't matter!" Dani replied, tugging on the cloth.

"Are you sure you don't need me today?" Takeno asked a bit worriedly. Dani smiled at her. They'd become so close after spending nearly every waking moment together, and their dogs were practically inseparable.

"I'll be okay. Besides, you can't follow me into the men's bathroom! Tamaki and Kyoya will take care of me," she answered. She pulled on her white button up shirt, tied her tie, and slipped on her blazer. Takeno wheeled Dani downstairs and outside to where Honda was waiting with the limo. As Takeno placed Dani in the vehicle, Honda put the wheelchair into the trunk.

"Good luck, Miss Dani!" Takeno said and winked. Dani grinned.

"_Grazie_!"

Honda pulled out, and glanced at Dani in the rearview mirror. "What time do I pick you up after club hours, Miss Danica?"

"Oh! Um, six or seven, please. I'm sure the host club will want to plan the Christmas party while I'm there," she chirped, and gazed out the window happily.

They arrived at school and Honda pulled out the wheelchair before opening the door. When it was finally un-collapsed, he opened the door, hooked his arms underneath Dani's knees and mid-back just as Takeno had done, and pulled her out. Suddenly, they were mobbed by fangirls. Dani grimaced, but Honda was very careful and put her in the wheelchair without incident, and wheeled her inside the school grounds, not letting go of the wheelchair to anyone, no matter how many fangirls insisted. Dani spied Tamaki and waved. Tamaki jogged over, placed his bag in Dani's lap with her own, and took the wheelchair from Honda who bowed and returned to the limo.

"I'm so glad you're back, Dani. We've missed you," Tamaki said softly in her ear so as to be heard over the sound of fangirls fangasming over Tamaki caring for poor injured Dani. Dani smiled sweetly at him, green eyes shining in happiness.

"I missed you guys too." She patted Tamaki's hand affectionately, and kept smiling as if her face would split in half.

"It was those Lobelia girls that hurt him."

"Yeah, apparently they lured him behind the greenhouse. You can still see the blood there."

"Why hurt Dani though? He's so sweet and talented!"

"Why didn't he defend himself?"

"He's so honorable, he would never strike a girl."

"He almost _died_!"

"He came from extreme poverty only to be almost murdered by three girls! His life has been tragic!"

Dani looked around at Kyoya an eyebrow raised. Kyoya glanced at her out of the side of his eyes and rolled his eyes almost indiscernibly. Dani sent him a text message.

_Who the hell started these ridiculous rumors?_

Kyoya texted back: _The newspaper club saw the campus police lead the Lobelia girls away and grabbed an interview before they were told to not say anything to anyone._

_ What did the newspaper club say?_

_ Just copious amounts of drivel._

Dani returned to writing notes, trying to place her cast on the desk so it wouldn't scratch the expensive wood. Eventually, she gave up. Her fingers were still sore from being broken and cramped up easily around her pens, so she took only about half the notes she needed, much to her frustration. Kyoya said he'd share and Dani applauded him. He scowled at her refinedly.

"Pray tell why you are clapping," he said.

Dani grinned. "You know how to share! You _must _have had a childhood!" Tamaki laughed uproariously.

The three of them found an empty lounge to eat lunch in as it was too cold (for Dani who wasn't used to the cold) to eat outside and they didn't want to be swarmed by girls who wanted to feed Dani and make a fuss over her. Once inside, Dani stood from the wheelchair and dragged herself around the room on her one leg, and when she was tired, on one hand and knee. Tamaki chased after her as if she was his firstborn just beginning to crawl and Kyoya ignored them and ate his lunch. Eventually Dani made her way over to the coffee table where Kyoya had set her lunch down and opened it. Dani was happy to find quesadillas and Mexican rice and pinto beans in her lunch. She took a large bite out of one of the enormous quesadilla and sighed; it was full of chicken, sharp cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, jalepeños, pico de gallo, and as a special treat sour cream. Usually in Mexico, quesadillas were flour tortillas full of cheese, meat, beans, and rice, but Dani had always liked the beans and rice separate and when she'd first moved into Rosecliff with her father, the chef had thought to make her feel welcome by making a quesadilla for her for lunch. It was full of vegetables and guacamole and sour cream, making Dani very confused, but she ate it anyway. Afterwards, she sought out the chef and they spent a good portion of the afternoon making the perfect quesadilla.

"What is that, Dani?" Tamaki asked, looking up from his bento.

"A quesadilla!"

"Bless you." Kyoya slapped Tamaki upside the head.

"Quesadillas are Mexican sandwiches!" Dani exclaimed, taking another large bite out of the tortilla. "Beats eating out of a tube!" Tamaki and Kyoya grew silent. Dani's eyes were large and a little sorrowful as she thought about the terrifying time in the hospital.

"Christmas is coming up, Dani. Do you have any idea what you want?" Tamaki asked by way of changing the subject. Dani blinked at him.

"What I want?" she repeated. Kyoya sipped his tea composedly.

"At Christmas, universally people exchange gifts with members of their families and friends," he told her. Dani frowned.

"Well yeah, but I never had enough money to buy anything for my mother. We always pooled our money to buy a bouquet of roses and offer it to Our Lady of Guadalupe."

"Who?" Tamaki asked. Dani shook her head.

"Never mind."

"So…what do you want for Christmas?" Tamaki asked again. Dani thought.

"I don't know," she admitted. Tamaki blinked owlishly at her.

"How do you not know?" he gasped. Kyoya rolled his eyes. "I know what I want. I want a Happy Meal, Twister, pocky, crayons, a Transformer…" Dani and Kyoya exchanged glances and carried on with their meals in silence, letting Tamaki list his Christmas wishes until the bell rang for the start of classes, and Kyoya dragged Dani back to her wheelchair and left Tamaki to clean up their lunches.

.*.*.*.

The customers that day did not go to their usual hosts, but flocked around Dani, fawning over her, fetching her tea, putting pillows under her head, her casts, moving her to be sitting by the best window, et cetera. Dani tried to be gracious and nice to them, but after fifteen minutes of having her wheelchair adjusted in the sunshine, she wished that someone would do something and get her out of this!

Finally (FINALLY!) Tamaki ushered the customers out, Dani threw herself out of the wheelchair, crawled to where Hunny and Mori sat, swiped a slice of cake, and moodily ate it under the table. Hunny ducked under the table to look at Dani.

"Dani-chan, are you okay?" he asked. Dani swallowed.

"Sorry Hunny, just completely tired of being fussed over. And sick of sitting in that wheelchair. What is this cake I'm eating anyway? It's delicious."

"Pumpkin cheesecake! Isn't it yummy?"

"I really like it. Whoa!" Suddenly Dani was being dragged backwards gently by her hips out from underneath the table only to look up and see Mori gazing at her. "_Dio_, Mori! You are going to give me a heart attack one day!" They both blushed, remembering how her heart monitor raced in the hospital as he held her hand or touched her face or whispered something sweet.

"You'll hurt yourself," Mori answered, his blush fading. Dani turned redder.

"I'd like to walk again," she murmured. Mori picked her up bridal style—making her squeal in surprise and fright—and placed her on a sofa. Dani saw Kyoya's glasses glint and he scribbled something down in his notebook, grinning sinisterly. Dani narrowed her eyes; he better not be planning something! Especially not a photo catalogue of Mori being sweet on her!

"Wow, Mori-sempai," one of the twins (Kaoru) said, smiling too innocently.

"You like Dani, huh?" Hikaru finished. Dani and Mori blushed deeply. The twins crowed with laughter.

"It's true!" they cackled, and ran off. Haruhi ducked behind a textbook, hiding a smile, and Tamaki started doing a strange dancing monologue that included a lot of twirling, arm flapping, and glomping of Kyoya. Dani and Mori quickly let go of each other. Dani's ears didn't quite cool down.

When they left club, Mori pushed Dani's wheelchair, and neither of them noticed they were alone until they were halfway to the main gate. They made awkward eye contact, and kept going, a previously comfortable silence suddenly very, very uncomfortable. Then Dani spoke.

"Thank you, Mori, again for the puppy. He's absolutely precious, and I love him." She smiled over her shoulder at him, ignoring the blush on her face and the strange back-flips her heart was doing.

Mori's lips quirked a little bit, his version of a smile. "Mm. What's his name?"

"Hidalgo. It was a Spanish title for persons of Spanish nobility, but it's also the name of a state and a lot of cities in Mexico. Plus, I liked it as a name," Dani answered. "He's really soft and cuddly! But I can't take him for walks, because I can't move my wheelchair by myself, so Takeno takes him for walks with Pico."

"Do they get along?"

"Those two love each other. They're inseparable." They made it to the main gate, where Honda waited for her. Mori paused out of earshot, and Dani turned to look at him, her heart pounding. He was gazing at her steadily, a faint blush on his cheeks. She blushed too, and averted her eyes to hide her embarrassment. To her horror, he cupped her cheek to turn her face back to his. He was kneeling in front of her, looking in her eyes, his fingers lingering on her cheek.

"Go out with me?" he asked, his low voice seeming lower. Dani's blush intensified.

"Yes," she breathed. "But please, after one of my casts have been removed? I don't want people to think…"

"Mm," Mori agreed. His eyes were shining; it was the only way she could tell he was happy, as his face remained as impassive as always. Both his hands sought her good hand, and he held it gently, still looking earnestly in her eyes. Dani's breath caught. Tenderly, he brought her hand to his face, and kissed her fingers, then the center of her palm. Dani couldn't breathe as he stood and wheeled her to Honda who bowed, opened the door, and waited for Mori to place her in the limo, all the while, trying to hide his knowing smile. Dani flushed. Mori's hands lingered around her shoulders and hands, and Dani looked at him, ignoring the small voice in her head that told her not to because she'd say something or do something really embarrassing. Before she could stop herself, she had reached out and stroked Mori's cheek with her fingertips, the feeling of a barely-there five o'clock shadow tickling her fingertips as her fingers traveled from his jaw to his chin, and almost ghosted to his lips. Mori's eyes closed and he sighed, the breath flowing between her hands. Dani gasped in surprise, jerked her hand away, and averted her eyes, her face so bright red she was sure that Mori could feel the head radiating off her face. His lips quirked up into a smile.

"Bye, Dani." He closed the limo door, and Honda pulled away. Dani heard chuckling from the front and she blushed again. She fidgeted with her cast and couldn't help the small smile that found its way onto her face.

"Shut up, Honda," Dani muttered, not really meaning it. Honda continued snickering.

They pulled up to Rosecliff and Takeno opened the limo door, grinning at Dani, who flushed, averted her gaze, and smiled shyly. Takeno's smile morphed into a knowing smirk, but she didn't say anything as she wheeled Dani into the mansion. When the door closed, Takeno pounced.

"Okay, Dani-chan, what happened? What'd Mori do?" Takeno asked bluntly. Dani sputtered in denial. Takeno rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Please, Dani. As long as I've known you, the only one that can really make you blush is him. You're red as a tomato, so obviously, something happened." Takeno bent to look in Dani's eyes seriously. "Did he kiss you?"

Dani squeaked.

Takeno burst into laughter. "Oh Dani! You're too funny! So sweet and naïve! He kissed you and you're blushing like it's your first kiss!" Dani blushed even darker. Takeno sat on the ground, her hands clutching her sides, roaring with laughter. "It _was_ your first kiss!"

Dani stammered. "_N-no, non mi bacio_," she managed out quietly. "He asked me for a date and kissed my hand."

"That's it!" Takeno yelled, still seated on the floor, giggling. "Oh Dani, you're blushing over _that_? You're too cute."

Dani pouted. "I am not."

"You're the one mooning over a kiss to the hand, Dani," Takeno pointed out. Dani ignored her, her face still bright red.

Oelrichs emerged from his office, a stern look on his face; Takeno and Dani immediately stopped laughing. Three men in expensive suits followed him out. Takeno wheeled Dani to the side, and bowed, Dani following suit as well as she could. The three men stopped and took a close look at Dani, and she removed her hat in respect.

"Is this your son?" one of the men asked. Dani looked to her father questioningly. "The one who was attacked by girls?" The other two men chortled derisively. Dani glared coldly at the men.

"Dad, who are _estes burros_?" she asked bitingly. Oelrichs shot a sharp look to the men who quieted quickly.

"My daughter, gentlemen, Dani," he introduced coldly and pointedly. "The one who was attacked. Twice." Takeno put a hand on Dani's shoulder, but as a warning or comfort, Dani couldn't tell as her temper rose dangerously. The men looked extremely uncomfortable.

"If this is your daughter, then why—"

Dani interrupted, not caring that she was being rude. "Oh you know, I was just beaten half to death at my first school, transferred and dressed like a boy to make sure it didn't happen again where the girls found me again and beat me half to death. Just normal bullying." Oelrichs flinched. The men's mouths hung open in shock. "So who are you to assume that I'm some _hijo de puta_ that can't defend herself from girls that want her dead?"

"Dani-chan," Takeno whispered warningly. "Too far."

"Oh, and this is my nurse, who has to do everything for me because _I can't move_," Dani added. Oelrichs looked at the men who were staring at Dani, their eyes bugging out and mouths open enough to catch flies. Oelrichs winked at Dani, his eyes twinkling in amusement.

"These are our lawyers, Dani. They'll represent us in court," Oelrichs informed her. Dani snorted.

"Their records better be immaculate on the stand, because their sociability is severely lacking," she retorted, but her ears were red; she was embarrassed for being so bold.

"Don't worry, Dani. I got us the best possible. This is Mr. Okamoto, Mr. Kamiya, and Mr. Iwata. They're going to need to ask you a few questions."

Dani cocked an eyebrow. "This would be a good piece of evidence," she said flippantly. She opened her cell phone, pushed a few buttons, and turned the phone around showing them what was on the screen. Suddenly screaming was heard, along with sickening crunches, dull thuds, and cruel laughing. The lawyers' faces drained of color, and Mr. Kamiya turned green. Mr. Okamoto averted his gaze, and Mr. Iwata seemed too horrified to look away.

"Dani, where did you get that?" Oelrichs's voice shook with emotion.

"I made Kyoya send it to me," she answered. Oelrichs shook his head.

"Dani, don't watch it."

"I won't. I don't have the heart to."

"Mr. Oelrichs, what is it that she showed us?" Mr. Iwata asked.

"Well, when I told Shizu to leave, she stopped behind the greenhouse, took out her phone, and videotaped the entire thing. She was really brave," Dani informed them, rather proud that quiet, shy Shizu had been brave enough to risk being caught to videotape the violence and turn it in.

"The trials are ours. With this evidence, Miss Dodahara's testimony, and Miss Dani's medical records, there's not a chance that we will lose these trials," Mr. Kamiya said, adjusting his cufflinks. Dani frowned in confusion.

"Trials? Multiple trials?" she asked. Oelrichs nodded.

"Five in total. I'm suing all three girls individually, St. Lobelia's School, and the chairman."

Dani let out a low whistle. "How much?"

"A lot."

"How much is a lot?"

"Well total, it'd be 65,000,000,000 yen. About 850,000,000 US dollars," Oelrichs told her. Dani's mouth dropped open.

"We'll be by tomorrow with those forms for you, Mr. Oelrichs," Mr. Okamoto told him. The lawyers left, far too smugly.

Dani wrinkled her nose. "Ugh, they're so slimy."

Oelrichs nodded. "Yes, they're scumbags, but they had the highest success rate in Japan, so I'd rather not take any chances." He ruffled her hair and she squawked mock-indignantly.

"Heeeey!" She pouted, purposefully being as silly as possible. Oelrichs smiled at her.

"Alright, alright. Go on and go _moon_ over your date with Mori." He waved his hand as if shooing her, and Dani turned bright red. Takeno cracked up again.

"B-but—how did yo—when did—I-I don't—_huh_?" Dani stuttered. Oelrichs exchanged glances with Takeno which clearly said _It's just that obvious_.

Later, Dani lay on her bed, daydreaming and smiling goofily. Mori occupied every thought, and Dani indulged herself in her thoughts of him. Absent-mindedly, she rolled over and grabbed a sketchpad, doodling and humming an impromptu melody. She was unsurprised to find she'd drawn Mori's face. He was a beautiful subject, and she spent almost an hour trying to capture everything she saw in his eyes on paper.

Something clicked. Grabbing another notebook, Dani began to write. Then she translated. She took the notebook and crawled downstairs to her piano where the melody she had hummed found a harmony and supporting chords. It was late, she knew that, but she was too excited. At one in the morning, Dani had written a song; not for Haruhi, nor for Mori, but for herself.

After club, she pulled out her sheet music. Kyoya's glasses flashed happily, and Hunny exclaimed excitedly. Mori's dark eyes hadn't left her. Tamaki began another monologue about Dani's artistic genius overcoming cumbersome obstacles. The twins plunked themselves down in front of her, waiting expectantly. Haruhi brought over a music stand, smiling. Dani awkwardly strummed her guitar, trying her hardest to not scratch it with her cast, and began to sing.

"_Cuando estoy contigo crece mi esperanza / vas alimentando el amor de mi alma / y sin pensarlo el tiempo me robó el aliento, / qué será d mí si no te tengo? / Si no estás conmigo se me escapa el aire, corazón vacío. / Estando en tus brazos sólo a tu lado siento q respiro / No hay nada que cambiar, no hay nada q decir. / Si no estás conmigo quedo entre la nada, me muero de frío. / Ay! cuanto te amo, si no es a tu lado pierdo los sentidos / Hay tanto q inventar, no hay nada que fingir "me enamoré de tí" / me enamoré de tí / Eres lo que yo más quiero, lo que yo he soñado amar / eres mi rayo de luz a cada mañana / y sin pensarlo el tiempo me robó el aliento, / qué será d mí si no te tengo? / __Si no estás conmigo se me escapa el aire, corazón vacío. / Estando en tus brazos sólo a tu lado siento que respiro / No hay nada que cambiar, no hay nada q decir / Si no estás conmigo quedo entre la nada, me muero de frío. / Ay! cuanto te amo, si no es a tu lado pierdo los sentidos / Hay tanto q inventar, no hay nada que fingir "me enamoré de tí" / Si no estás conmigo se me escapa el aire, corazón vacío. / Estando en tus brazos sólo a tu lado siento que respiro / No hay nada que cambiar, no hay nada que decir / Si no estás conmigo quedo entre la nada, me muero de frío. / Ay! cuanto te amo, 'corazón salvaje' pierdo los sentidos / Hay tanto que inventar, no hay nada que fingir / Si no estás conmigo…me muero de frío! / No hay nada que cambiar, no hay nada que fingir / me enamoré de tí / me enamoré de tí_." Dani's voice trailed off, and she looked up into sparkling black eyes that left her breathless. Mori was smiling gently at her as the other hosts clapped. She smiled gently back at him and was aware of nothing else.

.*.*.*.

Dani rang the doorbell of a lovely rose marble house, looking back at Honda and smiling comfortingly. He returned it and nodded and Takeno patted her shoulder in encouragement. The door opened and a butler looked down at Dani haughtily. Dani smiled at him charmingly.

"Hi! Is Miss Shizu home by any chance?" she asked. The butler took in her uniform, the nurse holding onto the wheelchair, and the bouquet of yellow roses, irises and ivy. He raised an eyebrow and Dani's smile became dangerous, daring the butler to deny her. He stood aside, gesturing for her to enter. Takeno wheeled her into a lovely parlor, and backed out respectfully. Dani wanted to do this on her own.

A few seconds later, a door opened and Shizu walked in smiling, but stopped dead in her tracks as she caught sight of Dani in her wheelchair. Dani smiled gently at Shizu who had gone white as a sheet.

"_Buenas tardes_, Shizu. Please come in and sit down. I don't want you fainting," Dani said comfortingly. Shizu moved slowly into the room and sat gingerly on the armchair across from Dani's wheelchair. Dani smiled and gently placed the bouquet in Shizu's lap. Shizu gazed at the flowers sadly, not once meeting Dani's eyes.

"It's all my fault," Shizu whispered, a single tear making its way down her face and splashing against a leaf of ivy. Dani grew serious.

"No," she said firmly. Shizu looked up quickly. Dani took Shizu's hand in her own uncasted one, and held it fast. "It was not your fault. Those girls have been actively searching for me because they view me as competition. They used you—an unwitting customer—to get to me under the pretense of friendship. They used you. You are not to blame."

Shizu began to cry quietly in earnest. "I—I'm so sorry. I thought that if you made friends with my friends we'd be…" she trailed off. Dani squeezed her hand softly.

"More than customer and host? More than friends?" she asked gently. After a moment, Shizu nodded hesitantly. Dani's heart ached. "I'm sorry, Shizu."

Shizu nodded and sniffed. "I don't have a chance now with you, do I? We're both girls."

"We're both girls," Dani echoed. "I'm sorry I cannot return your feelings." Shizu nodded miserably. "But irises, yellow roses, and ivy all mean 'friendship'. You have been such a friend, Shizu. And I wish I could repay your friendship somehow. That's why I'm here today. To tell you that I don't blame you at all. I value you. And to thank you for saving my life."

Shizu nodded sadly and looked out of the window, stroking the petals of a rose. "Sing to me?"

"What?"

"You said you didn't know how to repay me. Would you sing to me?"

Quietly, Dani began to sing an aria from Puccini's _Tosca_. "_Vissi d'arte vissi d'amore / non feci mai male ad anima viva! / Con man furtive quante miserie conobbi aiutai. / Sempre con fè sincera la mia preghiera ai santi tabernacoli salì. / Sempre con fè sincera diedi fiori agli altar. / Nell'ora del dolore perchè, perchè Signore, / perchè me ne rimuneri così? / Diedi gioielli della Madonna al manto, / e diedi il canto agli astri, al ciel, che ne ridean più belli. / Nell'ora del dolore, perchè, perchè Signore, ah, perchè me ne rimuneri così?_" Dani finished the aria in a whisper, tears rolling down her own face. Shizu continued staring out the window, silent tears dropping onto the flowers on her lap. Slowly, Shizu held out her hand for Dani to take, and she did. They let the echoes of the aria surround them until Takeno came in and wheeled Dani back out to the limo and back to Rosecliff and left Shizu behind, clutching the flowers as if it was her heart's anchor. And in a way, it was.

**So…yeah. Sorry for taking so long to update. School swallowed my soul. Midterms. Being a college senior is busy work! And I uh…also I…sorta broke my arm.**

…**yeah…**

**That's the third time I've broken my left (dominant) arm. I've broken the right arm twice. I'm sort of a walking disaster. So I sort of figured that you'd forgive me for not updating since I've been in and out of hospitals and X-ray rooms where the technicians yank my arm around and I want to projectile vomit and pass out simultaneously from the pain. And I did pass out. I think they got a section of my cranium in that X-ray. I speak Troll and Redneck when I'm in extreme pain, apparently.**

**Dani's character song is a song by the singer Chayenne (he's super hot and amazing singer) called "Me Enamoré de Ti". It's actually the opening to a telenovela called **_**Corazón Salvaje**_**. The song is about how he deeply he loves someone and that he's fallen in love, deep, passionate, unfaltering love. It's beautiful. Look up the translation and listen to it. I fell in love. With the song.**

**The aria Dani sings to Shizu is the soprano aria "Vissi d'arte" from Puccini's opera, **_**Tosca**_**. Beautiful opera, gorgeous aria. Absolutely heartbreaking. Tosca sings it as she listens to her lover being tortured and his torturer is pressuring her to sleep with him to free her lover. The aria is a prayer. She's asking God what she's done to make Him forsake her so, she's never hurt anyone before, kept every holy day, sang for the glory of God, been devoted to the Madonna and given offerings of her substantial salary. It sort of applies to Dani and Shizu here because they can both ask "why" also; Dani why she has been hurt by these girls so often, Shizu why she fell in love with Dani and indirectly hurt her. Shizu would know the aria; opera is a "rich people thing".**

**Poor Shizu being so very in love with Dani. But if DAni wasn't so in love with Mori, I think Shizu would have taken her chances. Alas, no yuri in this story. Or yaoi (exception of the twins).**

**So my arm is killing me and I have a Halloween rave to be planning and a chapter to beta and three papers to write, so I'm gonna go now.**

**Please review and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!**

**~La Principessa Dell'Opera**

**P.S.**

**Grazie- thank you (Italian)**

**No, non mi bacio- No he didn't kiss me (Italian) (Oh Dani, you're so adorable!)**

**Estes burros- these asses (Spanish) (just as insulting in Spanish as in English)**

**Hijo de puta- son of a bitch (Spanish) (just as insulting in Spanish as in English)**

**Buenas tardes- good afternoon (Spanish)**

**P.P.S.**

**My Ouran cosplay is Haruhi. Good job guessing guys! I'm debuting it this November at AnimeUSA.**


	10. Chapter 9: The First of Many

**I own nothing. But that's okay! I own Dani, her dad, Takeno, and Shizu!**

Chapter Nine:

The First of Many

_Or_

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

"Where are we going, Mori?" Dani asked. Mori had arrived at Rosecliff that evening, taken Dani's wheelchair, and put her in his limo to be whisked away somewhere. The worst (or best? She couldn't decide yet) part was she was sure that her father and the entire household knew _exactly _what was going on too, since she had been dressed with utmost care when she'd gotten home that Friday, two days before Christmas.

"Surprise," was all the answer she got. Dani scrutinized him, but only for a moment, because she started blushing after a while when he turned and smiled a little at her. She played with her fingers, trying her hardest to control the blush. She looked out the window at the frozen scenery and wondered what snow looked like. Then she realized that she was staring at extensive, perfectly manicured gardens. Eyes wide, she whirled around and caught sight of an enormous Japanese style manor, spread before her. And the limo was stopping in front of it!

"Welcome home," Mori stated simply. He climbed out and got her wheelchair and held out his hand to help her out. Dani continued to gape.

"Y-you live here?" she managed to gasp out. Mori smiled again and nodded. Slowly she inched her way over for him to hook his arms under her knees and pulled her out so gently it was almost like flying instead of being transferred. Naturally, she blushed.

He wheeled her inside. "I'm home," he announced, and almost immediately a bang sounded somewhere in the house, followed by running footsteps. A sliding door to their left banged open and Dani found herself staring at what looked like a miniature Mori. Mini-Mori grinned brightly.

"HI, TAKASHI! WHO'S THIS?" he exclaimed excitedly. Dani bit her lip and wished she could hide, but she wasn't in luck; she couldn't stand.

"Dani Oelrichs," Mori answered, and Dani's heart flipped over hearing her name said like that. Mini-Mori bowed so enthusiastically he nearly keeled over, and then he took her good hand, and pumped it up and down happily.

"HI DANI-SEMPAI IT'S REALLY NICE TO MEET YOU ARE YOU IN THE HOST CLUB WITH TAKASHI ISN'T HE COOL I THINK HE'S THE COOLEST AND BEST HOST NO OFFENSE TO THE OTHER GUYS BUT TAKASHI'S SO POPULAR IT'S BECAUSE HE'S SO COOL AND I LIKE HIM AND WANNA BE JUST LIKE HIM WHEN I GROW UP MAYBE I'LL EVEN JOIN THE HOST CLUB THAT'D BE FUN BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'D DO OH I'VE GOT AN IDEA YOU CAN TEACH ME HOW TO BE A HOST I BET YOU KNOW EVERYTHING SINCE YOU HANG OUT WITH TAKASHI AND EVERYTHING AND THAT ALSO MEANS YOU'RE COOL BECAUSE TAKASHI HAS THE COOLEST FRIENDS EVER AND THEY'RE ALL IN THE HOST CLUB SO THAT MEANS YOUR IN THE HOST CLUB WHICH HOST ARE YOU?" Satoshi asked, still smiling brightly. Dani stared at him with wide green eyes and tried to wrap her mind around the miniature Mori who spoke so fast and smiled so widely that she couldn't keep track of the conversation.

After a second of feeling like an idiot, she responded. "Huh?"

"Which host are you?" Satoshi repeated, not at all fazed by her inability to keep up with his trains of thought.

"O-oh. I'm the artistic host," she replied. Satoshi's smiled got wider.

"THAT'S SO COOL!" he exclaimed excitedly (which seemed to be the pattern). "CAN YOU PLAY GUITAR? I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY GUITAR MAYBE THE ELECTRIC GUITAR THAT'D BE FUN BECAUSE THEN I COULD ROCK OUT WHENEVER I WANT BUT I DON'T WANNA BOTHER TAKASHI BECAUSE HE'S COOL AND I DON'T WANT TO DISTURB HIS COOLNESS OR MAKE HIM ANNOYED!" Dani looked up at Mori and smiled a little at the look on his face; clearly, Mori would never be annoyed or sick of Satoshi.

"Electric guitar is fun to learn," she told Satoshi bracingly. "If you learn your scales and chords, you will progress quickly from there." Satoshi grinned even brighter but was prevented from speaking by the arrival of Mori's parents. Dani immediately blushed and bowed as well as she could in the wheelchair.

"Takashi, welcome home," his father said, nodding to his son smartly and smiling gently. His mother smiled widely. Her smile was just like Satoshi's, but Mori had her beautiful black eyes.

"Father, Mother," Mori answered, bowing. "This is Dani Oelrichs."

Dani ducked her head shyly. "Pleased to meet you," she whispered, her nerves making her Spanish accent thicker. Mori's mother gasped.

"Oh, you're foreign!" she exclaimed softly. Dani flushed and fidgeted shyly. She nodded. Mori's mother came behind the wheelchair and started to push her into the house. Mori, Satoshi, and Mori's father followed. They ended up in a lovely Japanese sitting room where Dani was parked carefully by Mori's mother, and Mori knelt next to her, his hand brushing hers momentarily.

"I'm Yui Morinozuka, and this is my husband Akira. You've met Satoshi already," Mrs. Morinozuka introduced. Satoshi grinned widely from where he bounced on his heels with pent up energy. Mr. Morinozuka smiled kindly at Dani.

"Oelrichs? Is that German?" he asked. Dani bit her lip and shrugged.

"I'm not sure. I just recently took on the surname. I lived with my mother before I moved here with my father, you see," she explained. Mr. Morinozuka nodded in understanding and Mrs. Morinozuka let out a soft "ah!" of understanding.

"Where did you live before?" Mrs. Morinozuka asked.

"Mexico City." And on the conversation went. It wasn't nearly as awkward as Dani imagined it to be as Mrs. Morinozuka smiled the entire time, Satoshi's undivided, devoted attention was on her, and Mr. Morinozuka had an easy, charismatic air about him making him easy to talk to. Mori sat next to Dani the entire time, and Dani could practically feel the pride radiating off of him. But whom he was proud of was a mystery to Dani.

Dinner was announced and Mori wheeled her into a Japanese dining room where he arranged a napkin on her lap and filled a plate of food for her when she pointed and asked politely (albeit extremely quietly).

"It's so nice that Takashi brought a friend to dinner. You two young men seem so close!" his mother asked. Dani took a bite of the sashimi and nearly died when it practically melted on her tongue. Their cook was outstanding.

"She's my girlfriend," Mori stated simply and Dani choked. The room was still and silent as Dani hacked into her napkin and his parents and brother stared at them. Mori merely patted Dani on the back until she regained her breath, and then continued eating as though nothing had happened.

"Girlfriend?" Satoshi asked, puzzled. "But…isn't 'Danny' a boy's name?"

"It's short for 'Danica'," Dani explained, her eyes wide with surprise, shock, and hopeful pleasure. Satoshi continued to stare at her before his eyes traveled to her chest in curiosity. Mr. Morinozuka smacked him upside the head for it.

"Sorry! She doesn't look like a girl!" Satoshi exclaimed. His mother smacked his arm.

"She's not supposed to," Mori answered. Dani blushed deeply.

"Why not?" Mrs. Morinozuka asked, looking extremely concerned. Dani fidgeted with her chopsticks.

"Protection against bullies," she whispered, flushing red again. Mori patted her foot in consolation. Mrs. Morinozuka gasped.

"Oh, you poor thing! That's just awful, I'm so sorry! Well, you shouldn't have any more problems with bullies anymore, not with the host club," Mrs. Morinozuka declared. Dani smiled, pleased, and exchanged a glance with Mori. His eyes shone with repressed happiness. They returned to eating, and Mr. Morinozuka smacked Satoshi again for looking for Dani's breasts once more.

After dinner, Mori and Satoshi disappeared and Mr. and Mrs. Morinozuka kept up an amiable conversation with Dani without alluding to Mori's sudden declaration. After a while, Mr. Morinozuka wheeled Dani into the dojo where Satoshi was enthusiastically hacking away at a dummy, and Mori was practicing in the middle of the floor, his entire body exuding concentration. Dani watched fascinated as he stepped with purpose and swung with strength and grace. The shinai was an extension of his arm; he moved as naturally as he breathed. Dani watched with the eyes of an artist, and slowly, a portrait painted itself in her mind, and a song began to play in her heart. When she caught flashes of his eyes, she saw determination, passion, and deep concentration reflected to her. The eyes that were so complex finally revealed to her a heart full of passion, full of life, and full of love. She could only imagine that it was how she looked when she sang.

Mori called Satoshi over, and they began to spar. Mori obviously had much more experience and outranked his younger brother, but Satoshi made up for that with his enthusiasm and measured strikes, always making sure his hit counted. He was shorter than his older brother and he didn't have the experience, but he held potential and he was determined to be just as good as his beloved older brother. Dani admired the bond they shared as they danced around each other, landing hits and blows before Mori ended the match with a fast smack to the head. They bowed and Satoshi removed his helmet, grinning ear to ear.

"That was great, Takashi!" he exclaimed. He turned to Dani. "What'd you think, Dani-sempai? Wasn't it a good one?"

Dani looked at Mr. Morinozuka who looked immensely proud of his sons. "I uh, actually don't know. I don't know anything about kendo," Dani admitted. Mori removed his helmet, causing her to choke on her next words. "But to me it looked amazing." Mori smiled slightly at her, which made her heart flip flop around.

Later, Mori plopped a small dog into Dani's lap, balancing a chicken in his other hand, and Dani squealed excitedly. They spent most of the evening playing with Mori's pets, and Dani slowly felt herself falling even more in love with him.

"Mori?" she asked in the limo as he took her home, sometime after midnight. He glanced over. "Um…did you mean what you said earlier? When you told your parents I was your girlfriend?" Dani was glad it was dark. She was sure her face was achieving shades of red previously unknown to man!

Mori slowly laced his fingers with hers, making her heart beat faster. She looked over and was surprised to see him blushing too. "Yeah." He turned to look at her, and even though it was dark, Dani saw the hope that was shining in his eyes. "Only if you want to."

"I do," she answered. Then she smiled. Mori smiled back, a genuinely happy smile and cupped her face. Dani's heart swelled and pounded as he leaned in closer.

The limo stopped, ruining the moment. Mori froze where he was, and then backed away, still blushing, but also still smiling. The chauffeur opened the door, letting Mori out first, and then Mori gently moved Dani from the limo to her wheelchair. At the door, he kissed her hand for a long moment. Then he looked straight into her eyes, stealing her breath away.

"_Buenas noches_, Dani," he murmured and Dani's heart nearly stopped. Before she could reply, he was back in the limo, and Oelrichs was opening the door, grinning widely. Dani turned beet red.

"I'm guessing it was a success, Dani?" he asked slyly. Dani stuttered incomprehensively as her father roared with laughter, wheeling her into the mansion. She gazed at all the beautiful decorations, and smiled. She was excited for her first Christmas with her father.

"Dad tomorrow is Christmas Eve!" she exclaimed. Her father wheeled her into the ballroom where an enormous tree stood, decorated in gold, silver, and red.

"Well, technically it's today, but yes it is!"

"Can I go to Mass?"

"Of course. I was going to go myself. However, we're going to an earlier Mass instead of midnight."

"Really? Why?"

Oelrichs winked at her. "It's a surprise." And he presented her with some marzipan.

.*.*.*.

"Hi Dani! We're here to take you shopping!" the host club declared the next morning on her front step. Dani stared at them, and the disgruntled Haruhi.

"Oh, no you're not!" Dani declared. "It is Christmas Eve, and I am going to spend it like a good Catholic! Praying, fasting, wrapping last minute gifts and going to Mass!"

"What? Why?" the twins asked. "Since we cancelled the Christmas party because you can't dance—"

"I can so dance! Just not in a wheelchair!"

"—we have nothing better to do! So we decided to bother you instead. And bring Haruhi along." Haruhi heaved a sigh.

"Well, I guess it's better than being alone. Dad has to work tonight," she muttered. Dani looked at her sadly.

"I guess you guys might as well come on in, it is pretty cold out," Dani said, opening the door wider and letting them in. Hunny bounced in immediately with Usa-chan, matching hats and scarves on both little person and bunny. Tamaki and Kyoya followed, and then the twins dragging Haruhi, and Mori who stooped to kiss Dani on the cheek. She turned scarlet.

"So what's the big deal about Christmas with Westerners anyway?" the twins asked. They gazed at the Christmas decorations in boredom. Dani gave them a look.

"It's the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ," she explained. "Didn't I tell you guys this back around Halloween?"

"Yeah, but why would we be bothered to remember it?" Hikaru asked. Kaoru smacked him. Haruhi followed suit.

"It's a big deal for me. It's my first Christmas with my dad, so I want to make it special," Dani said in a small voice, fiddling with her cast. Mori took her hand.

"Did I hear 'first Christmas with the most amazing father in the entire world'?" Mr. Oelrichs asked, coming out of his office. He nodded at the host club. "Hi guys."

"Well, you heard the 'first Christmas' part right," Dani joked. Oelrichs chuckled appreciatively.

"I have a last minute errand to run, so you kiddies behave while I'm gone, you got that? Dani, remember Mass is tonight at seven, we want to be there by six. You already went to Confession yesterday, right?"

"Yup! I'm all set! Though I want to go after Mass again."

"Okay fine, do that, but make it fast. You don't want your surprise to forget about you right? Oh, hello Hidalgo!" The puppy came running down the hallway at full speed and skidded to a stop in front of the host club. Tamaki's face lit up and he knelt to pet him. Hidalgo barked and proceeded to lick her face. The host club showered the puppy with affection before Tamaki dumped him in Dani's lap where he wriggled around and licked her face even more, his tail moving so quickly his entire hindquarters shook too. Dani laughed and Hidalgo plopped down on her lap, ready to stay there with his mistress. He looked at the host club as if to say _I got the best seat!_ Tamaki laughed.

"He reminds me of my dog, Antoinette!" he exclaimed. Haruhi deadpanned. Dani gave her a questioning look and Haruhi replied with a look that said clearly _you do not want to know_.

"I am assuming, Dani, that with your injuries and your preparations for your holiday, you haven't written any more songs," Kyoya stated from where he was inspecting somewhat interestedly a German nutcracker holding a scepter.

Dani blinked for a moment and blushed. "I…actually have another one."

"Really, Dani-chan? Can we hear it?" Hunny asked excitedly. Dani avoided Mori's eyes, and nodded. Mori took her wheelchair and wheeled her into the music room where she directed him to the guitar. The twins plucked Hidalgo from Dani's lap and she placed the guitar in her lap, placing the pick on the grand piano.

"This is 'Itsumo Gawa ni'," she said softly, and with her fingertips, began playing a simple, plain melody that resonated through the room. She began to sing. "_Nani mo iwazu ni sugu soba ni iru yo / Donna toki mo / Kanashii omoi wa sotto tsutaete yo / Kiiteru kara / Umaku iezu ni kimi o komarasete / Shimau no nara / Hitomi o tojite sotto yudanete yo / Dakishimeru kara / Sugite yuku kisetsu no naka de ima / Kono mune ni tashika na mono wa hitotsu sa / Anata o mamoru tame nara / Nani hitotsu oshiku wa nai / Donna itami de mo boku ga kawaru kara / Zutto soba ni iru yo / Kimi no kimochi ni kizukezu ni ita to / Shitta toki wa / Boku no chikara de dekiru koto subete / Todoketai kara / Itsu datte kimi to hohaba awase / Kore kara mo kawaranai omoi ga aru kara / Dakishimeta sono nukumori ga / Itsu made mo kienai you ni / Koboreta namida wa boku ga nuguu kara / Zutto soba ni iru yo / Anata o mamoru tame nara / Nani hitotsu oshiku wa nai / Donna itami de mo boku ga kawaru kara / Zutto soba de hohoendete / Dakishimeta sono nukumori ga / Itsu made mo kienai you ni / Koboreta namida wa boku ga nuguu kara / Zutto soba ni iru yo_." The hosts clapped loudly and Dani looked up blushing. She sought out Mori's eyes and smiled at him. He looked surprised for a moment, then realization dawned on him and he smiled and blushed, pleased. Dani put her guitar away.

"That was awesome, Dani-chan! Who was that for?" Hunny asked, but Dani caught the sly look that flashed across his eyes. Dani flushed.

"That was Mori's song," she answered as casually as she could. The room was quiet and Dani saw Tamaki and Kyoya exchange knowing glances and the twins shared identical knowing grins. Haruhi was the only one who tried to hide the fact that she suspected it all along. Hunny kept on smiling like the evil little mastermind he was. Mori and Dani blushed simultaneously.

Finally Tamaki moved to the piano and sat at it. He played the opening chords, and Dani recognized the famous French carol. Dani opened her mouth to sing along, but Tamaki beat her to it by singing in French. "_Ah! Quel grand mystère! / Dieu se fait enfant. / Il descend sur terre, / Lui, le tout-puissant! / C'est bien le Messie, / Roi de l'univers, / Qui nous rend la vie / En brisant nos fers. / __Alleluia! Alleluia!__ / __Chantons Noël!__ / __Chantons le Roi du Ciel!_" He grinned over top of the piano at Dani who could not for the life of her figure out what he was singing.

"Way to go, boss!"

"Yeah! Sing it!"

"For the love of God, Tamaki, please stop making that infernal racket."

"Keep playing, Tama-chan!"

"That was actually pretty good, sempai."

"THANK YOU, HARUHIIIIIII!" Tamaki declared, jumping up and twirling away from the piano in happiness. Dani wheeled over and began to play a Mexican carol she'd sang since she was a little girl.

"_La Virgen se está peinando entre cortina y cortina. / Los cabellos son de oro y el peine de plata fina. / Pero mira cómo beben los peces en el río. / Pero mira cómo beben por ver a Dios nacido. / Beben y beben y vuelven a beber. / Los peces en el río por ver a Dios nacer_." She grinned. Then the twins opened their mouths.

"DECK THE HALLS WITH BOUGHS OF HOLLY!" they began, enthusiastically bouncing around the room. Hunny joined in. "FALALALALA! LALALALA! / 'TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY! / FALALALALA! LALALALA!"

Eventually, everyone joined in and most of the day was spent singing Christmas carols, loudly, badly, and off-key. When Dani looked at the grandfather clock around four, she gasped.

"Alright, everyone out! I have to start getting ready for Mass!" she announced, shooing everyone to the door. Tamaki, the twins, and Hunny all let out identical "aaaaw"s.

"Wait, wait Dani-chan! Can we come with you?" Hunny asked. Dani was surprised.

"_Che?_ Really? You want to come?" Her accent got thicker. It often did when she was caught off-guard.

"Yeah, we wanna see what the big deal is," the twins agreed.

"I have no problem with that," Kyoya acquiesced. Tamaki nodded.

"It's been a while since I've been in a church," he stated, a faraway look on his face. Dani saw Haruhi watching him unknowingly.

"It beats staying at home," Haruhi muttered, sounding a bit relieved that she wasn't going to be alone.

"Yeah," Mori added, his eyes never straying from Dani's face. The twins snickered and made "ooooooh!" noises, prompting Dani and Mori to blush.

"W-well, if you guys want to come, then go home, put on a suit, and come back here by five forty-five sharp," she told them. The twins grinned wickedly, grabbed Haruhi, and disappeared. Tamaki ran after them protesting and crying, Kyoya followed disinterestedly, Hunny bounded out with them, humming a Christmas carol out of tune. Mori kissed Dani's hand—prompting a violent blush—and disappeared into the night. Takeno came in the room, grinning like her birthday had come early (instead of Christmas, which was the next day anyway).

"If you even try to deny liking Mori back, Dani, I'm going to leave you in the shower by yourself," she warned, still grinning. Dani's blush intensified.

"I uh, w-well—I um…I…I," Dani trailed off and Takeno patted her shoulder.

"I understand. Now let's get you ready for Mass, yes?"

An hour and a half later, Dani was staring at herself in the mirror, speechless. She was wearing a beautiful, deep forest green silk dress, edged in gold with diamond studded earrings and a single diamond set in gold about her neck, settling in the hollow of her throat, high above the V of dress's neckline. The dress was sleeveless and the A-line skirt avoided her casts, the fit hugging her every curve lovingly, and Dani never felt more beautiful in her entire life. Even her shoes were gold, her makeup was gold, and she had gold and diamond barrettes in her hair and hair extensions. The green dress felt as if it were made for her.

"You look so beautiful, Dani-chan," Takeno remarked, smiling behind her. Dani's eyes flicked to the nurse's.

"You're amazing, Takeno. I don't know if I'd ever be able to look this pretty again," Dani commented. Takeno gave a small laugh.

"Oh Dani, you're such a flatterer. I just enhanced your natural beauty. Now stop blushing, you're making all that hard work go to waste," she teased. Dani opened her mouth to retort, but the doorbell rang, and the front hall was full of the sound of hosts. Dani grabbed her _mantilla_ and a heavy coat, and Takeno took her downstairs.

All the hosts were dressed for the occasion. Tamaki looked festive in his black suit with a red button up shirt under it and black tie. Kyoya wore a pinstripe suit and looked very dashing. The twins wore tweed suits and were teasing each other about looking like Dr. Who (whoever that was), and Hunny was wearing a dark olive green suit, still carrying Usa-chan. Haruhi was breathtaking in a simple, burgundy and silver dress with a wig, makeup and heels (which she awkwardly clunked around in), but Mori was who stole Dani's breath away. He wore a simple black suit also, but a forest green shirt was underneath, and he had a white poinsettia in his lapel. Dani blushed. Mori straightened from tying a red and gold bow around Hidalgo's neck, and smiled at Dani. Oelrichs came down the stairs, and looked around at everyone, smiling.

"Everyone ready to go?" he asked, and they all piled into the Oelrichs limo. Mori discreetly held Dani's hand the entire way there.

At the church, the hosts couldn't stop looking around and exclaiming over the smallest things. Haruhi sat quietly, squished between Kaoru and Tamaki who were twisting around, looking at the stained glass windows. Dani sat in the aisle because of her wheelchair. Oelrichs sat at the edge of the aisle, occasionally smiling at her, and Mori was on his other side, flipping through a missal interestedly.

"So Dad, what's the surprise?" Dani asked Oelrichs quietly. Oelrichs smiled and winked at her.

"You just have to wait until after Mass. Besides, I don't want to spoil it for your friends either," he answered.

Mass began and Dani shushed the hosts, lighting her candle, and singing along to the opening hymn in Japanese; familiar from Christmas Eve Masses in Mexico. She and Mori locked eyes, and smiled at each other.

When Mass was over, Oelrichs pointed out the window and grinned. "Look, Danica. Your first snowfall."

Dani whipped her head around, and sure enough, there were little white flakes drifting by the windows and beginning to stick to the sidewalk. Dani gasped ecstatic; she'd never seen snow.

"_¡Papá, llévame fuera!_" she exclaimed and her father wheeled her outside where Dani put her hands out and tried to catch the snowflakes, watching them melt quickly in her warm hands. She laughed happily.

Back in Rosecliff, Oelrichs ushered everyone into the dining room, and waited, looking excited.

"Dad, is this your surprise?" Dani asked, puzzled. Oelrichs nodded. Mori's hand brushed Dani's under the table, making her blush, but they laced their fingers together anyway.

"Yes it is, Dani! Every year, back in the States after Christmas Eve Mass, my family and I would have their Christmas Eve dinner. A very special Christmas Eve dinner." The doors to the kitchens opened, and the kitchen staff filed out, all holding platters of—"Chicken wings!"

Dani's eyes went wide as a small mountain of delicious-smelling hot chicken wings, smothered in hot sauce, looking deliciously crispy and crunchy and spicy. "This was your Christmas Eve dinner?" Dani asked, picking a chicken wing up and staring at it.

"Yup! It's been a tradition for years. Dig in!" Oelrichs declared, and happily began to munch on the first chicken wing. The hosts looked around at each other, and followed suit. The room was full of the sound of surprised, pleased noises of satisfaction, and Dani nearly had a heart attack the wings were _so good_.

"Dad, where did you get them?" she asked, starting on her ninth wing. Oelrichs was filling his plate again.

"Had them flown in fresh from the Anchor Bar today. That's where hot wings were invented, actually. Best wings in the United States!" he declared. Hunny was making squeaking happy noises to his left, and Tamaki was making loud "OM NOM NOM" noises on his right. Even Kyoya, Mori, and Haruhi were happily munching on their Mountains of Amazing.

Dani glanced across the table to Haruhi who was smiling gently. Haruhi looked up and they shared a smile. A smile that contained hundreds of words that meant _happiness_.

They ate nothing but chicken wings until they were all stuffed, and then washed them down with milk and sugar cookies, which was strangely enough quite delicious.

After dinner, Oelrichs shooed everyone into the ballroom where they took Christmas photos in front of the enormous tree in the ballroom, gifts stacked beneath it, and boughs hung with Christmas lights and decorations. The hosts took pictures, then Oelrichs and Dani. When the clock struck midnight, the hosts all filed out, wishing Dani and Oelrichs a Merry Christmas, except for Mori who stayed behind for a moment. Oelrichs slipped away, smiling knowingly, and Dani blushed.

"Your first Christmas in Japan," he started, taking her hand. Dani nodded, face redder than Haruhi's dress.

"It was beautiful," Dani sighed, unable to avert her eyes from Mori's no matter how badly she wanted to. She was still so shy. "But don't you spend it with your family?"

"Not a big deal in Japan," he told her and Dani nodded. That's right. Catholics were a minority in Japan.

"Did you like it?"

Mori nodded. "Yeah." He fished in his pocket for a moment and brought out a long, slender black velvet box. Dani stared, heart racing. She was trying not too hope too much. "Your Christmas present," he said, and opened it.

Nestled on the black velvet in the box was a delicately exquisite, emerald and diamond gold bracelet, shining and sparkling in the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree. Dani gasped.

"Oh Mori," she breathed. He took it from the box and wound it around her wrist, clasping it firmly. One of his hands traveled up her arm to caress her cheek and he smiled at her. Dani smiled at him and reached around the Christmas tree, gently tugging one of the gifts free. She handed it to him. He opened it to see one of the most lifelike oil paintings he'd ever seen. His eyes widened and his cheeks flushed pink in pleasure. It was an oil painting of him, sparring, and the shinai almost imperceptible because of how fast it was brought down. It was as if she had taken a photograph of him in action, and then painted it. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his life.

"_Feliz Navidad_, Mori," Dani whispered. Mori turned to look at her and Dani found herself lost in his beautiful eyes again. His fingertips again brushed her face until he cupped it in his hand, gently guiding her.

Mori's lips gently brushed hers, then touched, and finally pressed to hers in a sweet, gentle, timid kiss. Fire, ice, electricity and something hot shot through Dani's body, pumping through her veins and sending her heart into overdrive. Dani's brain shut down as she kissed him back, her eyes sliding closed and a hand brought tentatively up to touch his face.

The kiss ended after a few seconds (or was it a few years?), too soon for both of them. Dani blushed even more intensely, but her eyes sparkled with happiness, mirroring Mori's. He kissed her again, longer this time.

"Merry Christmas, Dani," he whispered. He kissed her hand, took up the gift she had given him, and was gone.

Dani sat in the empty ballroom, alone except for the tree, dark except for the Christmas lights, and she touched her lips, smiling. Her first kiss. Mori had kissed her.

MORI HAD KISSED HER!

Dani was quite sure she was on her way to falling desperately in love with him if she wasn't already. And as she lay in bed that night, nearly asleep, she realized she really couldn't have asked for a better, more beautiful Christmas.

**I love Christmas.**

**I think it was about time for Dani to meet Mori's family! I know nothing about Mori's mother, or if he even has one, so I made one up. I love Satoshi. He's such a fun, awesome little bugger—I mean brother.**

**Dani's first Christmas with her dad! Aw, how sweet. I love Christmas so much; it really is the most wonderful time of the year. And with the hosts, it's also probably the craziest time of the year.**

**Dani wrote Mori's song! Finally! Mori's character song is my favorite out of all the hosts' songs. So simple and beautiful.**

**The Christmas carol Tamaki sings is a 19****th**** century French carol called "Ah! Quel grand mystère!" Not sure who it's by. The one Dani sings is "Los Peces en el Rio", a traditional Mexican carol. And everyone knows "Deck the Halls". Although, sung by Japanese, the "falalalala" would probably be "farararara" instead. XD**

**NEXT WEEKEND IS ANIMEUSA AND I AM SUPER FREAKING EXCITED!**

**The chicken wing tradition is something my family has done for years. We love it. It's one of our favorites. We get home from Mass, take pictures, change into our pajamas, and go to town on chicken wings and Mexican hot chocolate. Then we leave out cookies for Santa. Yes, I'm a 21 year old woman who leaves cookies out for Santa.**

**I wasn't actually going to have Mori kiss her until much later, but it fit here too well to not put it in. OMG THEY FINALLY KISSED!**

**Hey guys, please review! I'm super happy with this chapter and I want to know what you think! So leave a review on your way out! I probably won't be able to update for a while, so leave a review to help motivate me!**

**Oh, by the way, Dani is making an appearance in ****SelestynaArpa364****'s story **_**Short**_**. Go read it! Dani is in it! *excited squealing***

**Until next time, my friends! REVIEW!**

**~La Principessa Dell'Opera**

**P.S.**

**Buenas noches- good night (Spanish. Dani totally would freak out if Mori started speaking Spanish)**

**Ah! Quel grand mystère! / Dieu se fait enfant. / Il descend sur terre, / Lui, le tout-puissant! / C'est bien le Messie, / Roi de l'univers, / Qui nous rend la vie / En brisant nos fers. / ****Alleluia! Alleluia!**** / ****Chantons Noël!**** / ****Chantons le Roi du Ciel!- ****Oh! What a great mystery! / God makes himself a child. / He comes down to Earth, / He, the all-powerful! / It really is the Messiah, / King of the universe, / Who gives life back to us / By breaking our chains. / Hallelujah! Hallelujah! / Let us sing Christmas! / Let us sing the King of Heaven (French carol)**

**La Virgen se está peinando entre cortina y cortina. / Los cabellos son de oro y el peine de plata fina. / Pero mira cómo beben los peces en el río. / Pero mira cómo beben por ver a Dios nacido. / Beben y beben y vuelven a beber. / Los peces en el río por ver a Dios nacer.- The Virgin is combing her hair between the curtains. / Her hairs are of gold and the comb of fine silver. / But look at how the fishes in the river drink. / But look how they drink in order to see God born. / They drink and they drink and they return to drink, / the fishes in the river, to see God being born. (Mexican carol)**

**Che- what (Italian)**

**Mantilla- a veil women use to cover their heads in churches as a sign of respect. Mostly unused practice, but I still wear one myself.**

**¡Papá, llévame fuera!- Daddy, take me outside! (Spanish)**

**Feliz Navidad- Merry Christmas (Spanish)**

**P.P.S.**

**Thanks for the well-wishes guys! My arm is getting much better! Best thing though, no cast!**


	11. Chapter 10: A Shocking Twist

**I OWN NOTHING! I just own Dani and her dad. Kotone and her psycho mom belong to ****Selestyna Arpa364****. Enjoy!**

Chapter Nine:

A Shocking Twist

_Or_

Mein Herr Marquis

On the morning of December twenty-sixth, Dani was abruptly awoken by a pair of red-headed twins bouncing on her bed.

"DANI WAKE UP! LET'S GO BUILD A SNOW FORT!"

"AND A SNOWMAN!"

"AND SNOW ANGELS!"

"AND HAVE A SNOWBALL FIGHT!"

"AND EAT SNOW!"

"AND WHATEVER ELSE CRAZY COMMONERS DO!"

"People don't really eat snow, you two—" Haruhi muttered groggily from the doorway. Dani rolled over and checked the time.

"_¿Por qué están ustedes me despierta tan temprano? Son las ocho de la mañana_," she mumbled quietly, snuggling deeper into her bed. Tamaki yanked the bedclothes off of her and Dani whined loudly, curling immediately into the fetal position as well as she could despite her casts.

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty! It's time to wake up!" he chirped happily. Dani felt a dead weight fall at the foot of her bed and looked over to see Hunny passed out where Mori had plopped him. Dani was still so sleepy she didn't even care that her boyfriend saw how terrible her hair looked or her flannel pajamas with Mexican flags all over them.

"He's tired," Mori said in answer to Dani's sort of inquiring look. She gave a noncommittal grunt, and fell promptly back asleep.

Later, Dani woke to see Hunny sitting up, looking confused to where he was, and Kyoya slumped in the chair by the French doors leading out onto Dani's balcony, dead to the world. "Good morning, Dani-chan. How'd I end up here?" Hunny asked, rubbing his eyes and stretching.

"_Non lo so_…" Dani replied, stretching and pressing the button to call for Takeno. She walked in and glanced questioningly at Hunny at the foot of Dani's bed and Kyoya still asleep in the chair.

"Was there a party I didn't know about?" she asked good-naturedly, going over and picking Dani up to take her to the bathroom.

"No, we were just woken up too damn early," Dani mumbled. "So they passed out too. I don't know where everyone else is."

A huge thump resounded throughout Dani's room, and everyone looked over to see a snowball slowly sliding down Dani's window. Hysterical laughter came from outside. Kyoya woke and slowly stood, his every pore seeping with unpleasantness and danger. He glared at the window.

"If you kill them, Kyoya, don't hide the bodies here," Dani called over Takeno's shoulder before the door shut.

An hour later, Dani was showered, dressed, and overall ready for the day. A note was on her bed left by Hunny that said _Went outside to play!_ Dani looked up at Takeno imploringly, begging with her big green eyes to let her go play too. Takeno sighed. "Okay okay…" and promptly bundled Dani up tight. Dani wiggled in excitement when she was wheeled outside. Mori appeared by her side, taking her wheelchair and maneuvering her through the snow.

"Ooooh, it's cold!" Dani giggled, scooping a handful up and squeezing it.

"Mm."

"Does it snow often in Japan?" Mori nodded. "Will you help me make a snowball?" Mori grabbed a handful of snow and proceeded to teach Dani how pack the snowball when an enormous one hit him in the shoulder. Immediately, Mori turned around and beamed the snowball he was making at the thrower who happened to be Tamaki and hit him square in the forehead, toppling him over.

"WAAAAAR!" the twins declared, and it was on. It was every man for himself, and Dani just contented herself with hurling handfuls of snow at people and making snowballs for Mori to throw. He was smiling, which made her grin and laugh with happiness. His smile was beautiful.

"DANI!" Takeno's voice called out. Dani picked up one of the snowballs and threw it at her nurse, laughing, and cheered when she hit the woman in the hip. Takeno threw one back and it hit Dani's cast, sending cold snow in between her toes. Dani shrieked and laughed.

"_Che?_" she called back, wiggling her toes and trying to warm them up. A snowball thrown by Hikaru hit her elbow.

"You have a visitor!" Takeno stepped aside, revealing none other than Kotone Suzuki, the girl Dani and Haruhi had met at Dani's father's party. Kotone smiled and bowed. Mori rolled Dani over to the girl.

"Merry Christmas, Dani!" Kotone said brightly. Dani grinned and kissed Kotone's hand gallantly.

"A very Merry Christmas to you too, Kotone!" she replied. Kotone's eyes flickered to the on-going snowball battle but then went back to Dani.

"I'm here actually to give you this," she started, pulling out a potted poinsettia, "and to wish you a speedy recovery." Dani took the plant lovingly, staring at a little piece of Mexico.

"Thank you very much, Kotone. This means a lot," Dani responded. Mori chucked a snowball at Kaoru.

"And I'm also here to discuss something very important with you, but—" Kotone's eyes again flickered to the fight longingly. "—could I play?"

"Of course!" Dani cried, grabbing her hand. Kotone eagerly bounded into the snow and Dani called for a ceasefire. "_Orale_, _ragazzi_! This is Kotone Suzuki! She's come to play too!" The twins and Tamaki cheered and Hunny glomped the poor girl, sending her sprawling into the snow.

"SHE'S MY SIZE, TAKASHI!" he yelled happily. Kotone flailed. Dani panicked.

"Hunny! Get off her, she's just a little girl!" she shrieked. Hunny leapt off of Kotone who looked dazed and a bit cross-eyed from where she was laying in the snow, supine. A grin broke out on her face and she moved her arms and legs up and down and in and out. Hikaru and Kaoru pointed and yelled "hey!" before flopping in the snow and doing the same. Kotone sat up and Hunny pulled her out of her creation, smiling at her brilliantly. Dani and Mori exchanged glances and looked away from each other quickly. Hunny was smitten!

"Snow angel!" Kotone declared proudly. She turned to Dani and corrected her. "And I'm not a little girl. I'm the same age as you!"

"WHAT?" Tamaki yelled in shock, running up and patting Kotone on the head to further emphasize her height. Kotone glared at him.

"Watch who you're calling short, blondie," she growled threateningly, an aura of purple evil beginning to form around her. Tamaki made an "eep!" noise, and glomped Kyoya in fear. Then Kotone brightened and gently tossed a handful of snow onto Dani's lap. Dani chuckled and dusted it off. "WAAAAR!" Kotone roared. "SPARTANS, TONIGHT WE DINE IN HELL!" and she was off, Hunny running after her, and pelting her with snowballs until he was smacked right in the back by Haruhi. The snowball fight resumed and snow of epic proportions was thrown around the yard until the twins decided to build an igloo around Dani who just sat and laughed, occasionally dumping snow on their heads and singing nonsense melodies that they copied. Then Hunny's stomach rumpled. It would have been unsurprising if he hadn't been on the other side of the manor from Dani and the twins.

"CAKE TIME!" Hunny announced, leaping onto Mori's shoulders. Kotone stared at Mori in awe until he lifted her onto his shoulders too. Dani blushed and looked away. The sudden image of an older Mori with his own children on his shoulders fought to the forefront of her mind no matter how she tried to suppress it. Mori trudged into the house with the two smallest people on his shoulders, and Kyoya took Dani's wheelchair and maneuvered her inside.

"Perfect timing you ei—nine? Nine," Oelrichs said, looking a little confused at the addition of Kotone to the group. She smiled at him charmingly from her perch on Mori's right shoulder. "Lunch is ready."

"I hope it's something hot," Dani remarked, shedding her wet coat, scarves, mittens, hat, boot…one of the maids, Momoko, handed her a towel. She dried her face, but Mori took it from her and dried her hair with it as the two people on his shoulders clambered down to get out of their wet things and dry off.

"New England clam chowder. Warms you right up!" Oelrichs declared. Kotone's stomach gave a loud rumble. She looked a little guilty.

"I _love_ New England clam chowder," she gushed. The hosts laughed and Kotone grinned.

After the delicious meal (in which everyone had at least thirds), they sat around the living room lazily, everyone pleasantly full. Dani looked over lethargically at Kotone who Hunny was using as a pillow. "So what did you need to talk to me about, Kotone?" Kotone suddenly sat upright quickly, all traces of sleepiness gone.

"Oh! I almost completely forgot about that! Shit!" She looked straight at Dani and said in a very serious voice, "We should date."

Dani choked on her next breath and coughed violently. The room was eerily silent as everyone stared at Kotone who looked extremely uncomfortable. "What?" Dani managed out.

"Well, my mother thinks we should date. And if my mother says to do something, people do it, period," Kotone explained. Hunny's hands were slowly closing into fists, and Mori moved closer to Dani, his hand reaching for hers.

"But—" Dani began, but Kotone cut her off.

"Look, I don't like this idea any more than you do. Last time she set me up on a date, it was some designer asshole who was a complete dick the entire time, and frankly I don't like you like that," Kotone stated simply. Dani let out a sigh of relief and Hunny's fists uncurled. Tamaki, Haruhi, the twins, and Kyoya were all staring slack-jawed at the conversation. Dani was looking desperate.

"Well…can't you tell your mom I'm gay?" Dani implored. The twins and Tamaki cracked up and Kotone smirked.

"If you're gay, then I'm a fucking duck," she retorted. Dani stared at the bold language. Hikaru laughed and rested his elbow on top of Kotone's head.

"Hehehe…duck fucking," he snickered. Dani slapped her palm to her forehead as Kotone glared evilly.

"Duck or I'll fucking hit you in the dick without giving a fuck," Kotone snarled, smiling sweetly. The twins slowly backed away, then dove behind the couch Mori and Dani were sitting on. Kotone turned back to Dani.

"There's no way you can be gay, so—" Mori kissed Dani's cheek. Kotone's mouth dropped open, Dani turned bright red, Tamaki and the twins made catcalls, Kyoya and Haruhi ignored it, and Hunny yelled "that was cute, Takashi!"

Kotone was speechless for a good few seconds staring at the couple. Finally she spoke. Or rather, shouted. "OH SHIT, YOU WEREN'T KIDDING!" Dani stammered incomprehensively.

"Oh no, Miss Suzuki. Dani is perfectly straight," Kyoya corrected her casually. Kotone turned wide brown eyes to Kyoya and gestured at Mori and Dani.

"Yeah, 'cause that kiss was _totally_ straight," she pointed out sarcastically. Mori's lips twitched in a sort of smile.

"It was, Kotone-sempai. Dani's a girl," Haruhi answered. Kotone stared at Haruhi, then at Dani who was still bright red and smiling sheepishly.

"Um, _es verdad_," she said quietly. Kotone stared. And continued staring. Then she opened her mouth.

"Uuuuuuuuh…da fuq?" She gasped. Dani nodded. Hikaru grinned maliciously.

"Does she have to prove it to you?" he suggested slyly. Kaoru smacked him as both Mori and Dani turned bright red. Kotone raised an eyebrow.

"You really went there? Really?" she asked sarcastically. Hikaru merely giggled. Kotone sighed after a while.

"Well, much as I'd love to say the deal's off…Mom planned out the entire date, so we might as well go."

Dani's expression was heartwrenching as she looked at Kotone. Mori squeezed her hand. "But…but…"

"The date's tonight." Dani's jaw unhinged.

"Eh?!" She exclaimed. Kotone shrugged and slumped against the couch again.

"My mom isn't exactly known for being considerate of other people's plans or feelings," she stated a little bitterly. Dani sighed sadly.

"You'll be in trouble if you don't go, huh," she asked, though she said it like a statement. Kotone nodded defeatedly. "Well then, let's go. But we gotta make it so that your mom won't set us up again." Kotone brightened. "Stage slap me, then tell your mom I told you I'm gay," Dani added thoughtfully. Kotone looked horrified, but nodded once firmly and held out her hand. Dani shook it.

"It's a deal! Pick me up at six," she replied. "Mom already faxed your dad our date itinerary. First a ballet, then dinner at some fancy-ass restaurant, and then 'ice skating beneath the stars'." She put air brackets around the last part. Hikaru and Kaoru snorted in laughter.

"Pray tell how Dani will ice skate when in a wheelchair," Kyoya proposed. Kotone made a thinking face which was really more like she had smooshed her face against a brick wall.

"We'll use that as another excuse. I'll tell her you accused me of being an insensitive bitch," Kotone resolved. Dani gasped.

"I would never say that!"

"Yeah, but my mother doesn't know that now, does she?" Dani thought about it. She nodded.

"Alright, six it is. Am I dressing fancy?"

Kotone grinned. "Very fancy."

.*.*.*.

At six o'clock sharp, Dani knocked on the door of a very elaborate French villa-like mansion, feeling a little nervous, and plucking at her cufflinks.

A man who was clearly the chef opened the door, scallions tucked behind his ear as if they were pencils. He looked down at Dani in the wheelchair, confused.

"Who're you?" he asked, surprised. Dani started to stutter nervously.

"_M-me llamo D-Dani, y yo—_" she started to say, but mentally slapped her hand to her face. Idiota_, they don't speak Spanish here! Announce yourself properly!_ But before she could do so, the chef turned and yelled at the top of his lungs.

"KOTONE-SAMA YOUR DATE'S HERE!" He turned and bowed enthusiastically, wheeling Dani inside. "She'll be down soon," he said nicely, and left while humming something that sounded suspiciously like _Lucky Star_. A door slammed somewhere and two maids appeared at the top of the stairs, grinning at Dani. Then Kotone made her way down. Dani smiled at her.

Kotone may have been a small girl, but she was just as stunning as her mother, although in a different way. Her hair was swept away from her face into a graceful ponytail with tendrils of curls framing her face that was highlighted gently with subtle makeup. Her dress was well-fitted and a royal purple, and she wore instead of generic designer heels black patent ankle boots with a thicker heel instead of stilettos, decorated with silver studs, a subtle hint at badassery even among carefully made up hair and makeup, lending Kotone an air of her own personality. She grinned at Dani.

"Sup Dani-_kun_?" she asked, stressing the _–kun_, her eyes glittering with mirth. Dani bowed as well as she could and smiled back. Unlike at the host club, she did not kiss Kotone's hand.

"Good evening, Kotone. You look lovely," she replied honestly. Kotone smiled and gestured to the door.

"Shall we go?" she asked. Dani nodded and awkwardly maneuvered her wheelchair until Kotone took over and wheeled Dani out to the car. Once in, Dani turned to Kotone.

"_Mi piaciono le tue scarpe_! They're so cute!" she exclaimed. Kotone stared at Dani like she had sprouted another head.

"Japanese? Or English, you know, I'm not picky," she answered. Dani burst out laughing.

"I said I liked your shoes," she clarified. Kotone brightened.

"I KNOW, RIGHT? They're so awesome!" she agreed. Dani nodded. Then looked thoughtful.

"Kotone, where are we going?"

"To see _The Nutcracker_."

Dani's mouth dropped open and she suppressed a squeal. "_¿En serio?_" Kotone nodded. Dani actually squealed in excitement. "I've never seen a ballet before!"

Kotone stared. "Well now you will! Hey, you up there!" she called to Honda. He looked up at her, a little disinterested in their conversation. "We're not getting along back here, okay?" Honda nodded and went back to driving. Dani rolled her eyes and laughed.

"He won't tell, promise. Your mom may come up with some…uh…"

"Batshit crazy ideas?"

"Sure, but she doesn't own everyone. Dad won't bother to tell her the date was any good. He'll take our side, don't worry." She patted Kotone's hand reassuringly.

"Awesome."

"We've arrived, Miss Dani," Honda said, and parked the car. He handed Kotone out first, and then put Dani in her wheelchair. Kotone paused.

"Uh-oh." Uh-oh was right; there wasn't a handicap ramp or anything wheelchair friendly. Kotone and Dani exchanged looks, and from the conspiratory glint in Kotone's eyes, Dani sabotaged the date.

"How dare you bring me somewhere I can't get to! You knew I was in a wheelchair!" Dani accused, trying to sound scathing. Kotone put on a facial expression reminiscent of a kicked puppy.

"I…I didn't know!" Kotone cried, her lip wibbling a little. Dani almost believed her. So she wheeled around (quite literally) and did the gayest thing she could think of: she gasped loudly in a high pitch, and put her good hand over her heart.

"You did not—!"

"No…" Dani scrambled for something else to say, but they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat. Kotone and Dani turned to see…Tamaki. Tamaki in an usher uniform. And Mori. And Hunny…Dani tried very hard to keep her face neutral.

"_Pardonnez-moi, mademoiselle_," Tamaki said with a flourish to Kotone. "But we could not help but overhear your predicament." Dani and Kotone started up again.

"He…he…" Kotone sounded pitiful indeed while Dani increased her volume, trying to sound as indignant as possible.

"She has the nerve to disregard—"

"Allow us to help!" Hunny exclaimed, holding out his arm to Kotone and bounced up the stairs, Kotone bouncing completely in sync with him. Tamaki locked Dani's wheelchair and she was suddenly swept into the air by Mori. She could have sworn she felt a light kiss on her cheek, but she may have imagined it. Tamaki raced up the stairs with the wheelchair, Mori following, though at a slightly slower pace. Kotone waited at the top of the stairs, looking the very picture of docile and demure. To anyone else, she may have looked an innocent schoolgirl who got stood up. To Dani, she looked like she was trying not to laugh.

"I'm…I'm sorry, Dani-kun," she sniffed. Dani hmph'd as she was placed back in her wheelchair and put her nose in the air.

"You should be, you inconsiderate _bruja_," She replied snootily. Kotone looked up, surprised at the insult and nearly smiled. Mori, Tamaki, and Hunny backed away and Dani saw why in just a moment.

Kyoya stood there, smiling pleasantly while giving off an aura of absolute loathing for what he had been forced to do. "Identification and tickets?" he asked, holding out his hand. Kotone handed him the tickets (Dani had to restrain herself from squealing in excitement at seeing the title _The Nutcracker_), and he checked them. He held out his hand again. "Identification?"

"_I_ do not _need_ identification," Dani replied immediately, scowling. For anyone else, it'd probably be the worst idea they'd ever had, talking back like that to Kyoya, but that was the advantage of being Kyoya's best friend; Dani and Tamaki understood him well, a little too well in Kyoya's opinion. He went on smiling pleasantly. Kotone stepped forward moving her hand in front of Kyoya's face.

"You don't need to see our identification," she said seriously. Kyoya blinked.

"I don't need to see your identification," he repeated, sounding dangerously close to murder.

"These are not the teenagers you are looking for," Kotone instructed again. Dani had to give Kyoya's self-control applause.

"These are not the teenagers I am looking for," he answered.

"Move along," Kotone ended, very serious.

Kyoya bowed and gestured to the theatre. "Move along." Mori took hold of Dani's wheelchair again, and wheeled them into the audience.

Dani gaped, she couldn't help it. Everywhere she looked was finery, jewels, a few kimono (was that a _maiko_ and a _geisha_ over there!?), opulence, and vast displays of wealth. Kotone took her seat at the edge of a handicap row, and Mori parked Dani next to her. He briefly brushed her shoulder and was gone.

Kotone pretended to be looking at her program when she murmured out of the side of her mouth, "Did you know they were going to be here?" Dani assumed she meant the host club.

"No, did you?" Kotone shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Let's pretend to give each other the silent treatment, okay?" Kotone whispered, turning her head away as if she was annoyed with Dani. Dani slouched and scowled, trying to make it painfully obvious she was not enjoying herself (which she was).

"Okay." Fortunately they didn't have to wait long. The lights began to dim and immediately Kotone and Dani leaned together and started whispering excitedly.

"Oh my God, could you be any gayer? I thought there wasn't a mean bone in your body!" Kotone giggled. Dani snorted.

"Sorry, I'm just repeating things I heard my neighbors back in Mexico say. Am I _fabuloso_?" Dani grinned and Kotone tried to quiet her giggles.

"You're fabulous, honey. Fier-chay." Dani and Kotone dissolved into giggles and quieted as the Overture began.

Dani watched quietly, her mouth open in awe, her eyes wide with delight. The dancers were mesmerizing, and Dani could not ever remember being so entranced. When the house lights came up for intermission, Dani blinked several times to reorient herself. She looked over at Kotone and grinned before remembering she was supposed to dislike Kotone, and scowled.

"I'm so bored! Is it over yet? Only a girl would drag me to such a retarded show," Dani complained, slumping in her wheelchair. Kotone pouted.

"It's a Tchaikovsky classic," she retorted weakly, sounding rather petulant. Dani scoffed.

"No wonder he liked it the least," she returned quickly. Kotone was spared from answering when Mori and Hunny suddenly arrived bearing…ice skates?

"Follow me, please!" Hunny announced, and bounced off, Kotone in hot pursuit. Dani looked up at Mori and blushed. He smiled, placing the ice skates in Dani's lap and wheeled her outside.

Dani gasped, her green eyes wide. _How in the world did they do this?_ In just a few short hours, the foyer of the theatre had been transformed into an ice skating rink, and several patrons were already bemusedly donning ice skates and skating out. Hunny had already tugged Kotone out and was busy twirling her around like a top. Dani looked over when the weight was lifted from her lap, and to her horror she saw Mori putting on the ice skates. Dani panicked.

"Mori! _¡Mi amor!_ I…I don't think this is a good idea!" Mori looked up, his cheeks reddening, and he smiled, Dani realizing belatedly she had called him _my love_. She blushed scarlet.

"It's alright, just trust me," he whispered to her. Dani gave him an apprehensive glance, but let him guide her onto the ice; she held onto the wheelchair's armrests for dear life.

Luckily for her, Mori seemed to be rather skilled at ice skating, and glided along, pushing her gently, their slow pace making patrons skate around them, giving them confused glances; why was the Morinozuka boy dressed as an usher and pushing that crippled American boy on the ice?

Slowly, Dani relaxed, able to enjoy the soft gliding along the ice. All too soon, the lights started dimming, signaling the end of intermission. Mori slowly pushed her onto the plush carpeting as some of the patrons groaned in disappointment. Mori knelt to take off his skates, and in a rare moment of boldness, Dani leaned down and caressed his cheek, smiling tenderly at him, a blush on her face.

"Thank you," she whispered, and just as Kotone stepped off of the ice and onto the carpet, windswept and breathless and grinning, in full view of her, Mori leaned up and kissed Dani right on the lips.

Dani felt like she was melting; everything disappeared, even her wheelchair as she and Mori kissed there in the middle of a high-end theatre. For a few moments of inexpressible bliss, they kissed slowly, savoring each other until—

"Aw, Takashi! You and Dani-chan are cute!" Hunny interrupted. Dani jerked backwards, her face scarlet, sputtering in embarrassment. She glanced to where Hunny was standing, smiling like a little angel, Kotone at his side looking like she was about to cry, her eyes shining with suppressed laughter.

"Yeah, it's exactly what it looks like!" Dani blurted at Kotone who snorted with laughter before regaining her composure and walking back into the theatre wordlessly. Dani looked at Mori in panic. He took advantage of her momentary distraction to steal another kiss before wheeling her after Kotone, parking Dani alongside her silently, and disappearing. The lights went out, and so did Kotone's self-control: she burst into uncontrollable, silent giggles.

"Oh God! I can't breathe! I can't breathe!" she gasped. Dani blushed more.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly. Kotone continued to giggle and snort until the curtain came up, at which point in time Dani clapped her hand against Kotone's mouth to shut her up so Dani could enjoy the next act.

After the standing ovation (Kotone making a big deal of standing up and rubbing it in Dani's face that she couldn't), Tamaki came and wheeled Dani into the foyer, where an enormous slide awaited them. Several grown men were already sliding on it.

Kotone squealed, making Dani jump; she hadn't realized Kotone followed them out! With no other warning, Kotone flung herself on the slide belly-first, and slid all the way down, her dress flying up a bit only to reveal a pair of shorts under it. Dani turned to Tamaki, green eyes wide and pleading.

"_¡Por favor, mi amigo mejor!_" she begged. Tamaki shrugged and Kyoya materialized at Dani's other side. Together, they lifted her up, set her down, and gave her an almighty push. Dani yelled in delight, tumbling gently against the pillows at the bottom of the stairs, her wheelchair crashing down beside her, courtesy of the twins at the top of the stairs. Mori picked Dani up as Hunny righted her wheelchair, and with utmost care, Dani was placed back into it, her coat around her shoulders. Kotone stood at the door waiting. Dani ignored her to occasionally gaze at Mori, who took her hand and held it, not caring who saw. After a few minutes, Dani's limousine pulled up, and they were on their way home. Once the car door was shut, Dani and Kotone burst into hysterical laughter, tears beading on their eyelashes.

"Oh God, I don't know how we made it through tonight without pissing ourselves laughing!" Kotone exclaimed breathlessly, holding her stomach.

"I don't either!" Dani laughed. Suddenly Kotone sat up straight.

"DRIVER, PULL INTO THAT MCDONALD'S DRIVE-THRU RIGHT NOW!" She yelled. She turned to Dani, grinning. "My mom's gonna flip her shit!" She gently pushed Dani to the window and rolled it down. "Now lean out the window really far and yell into the microphone!"

Dani looked at her in bewilderment and cautiously did as Kotone instructed. "Hello?" she asked hesitantly.

"Hello may I take your order?" Dani shrieked in surprised and fell back into the limo, Kotone cackling and rolling on the limo floor, positively screaming with laughter. Dani hesitated again before reluctantly relaying the order Kotone breathlessly made from the ground.

"Could…could I have two Oreo McFlurries?" she asked timidly.

"Will that be all?" Dani cringed again.

"Um…yes?"

"Thank you, pay at the first window."

"O-okay…" The limo pulled up to the first window where Dani paid, still looking surprised. At the second window, Dani was handed two milkshake-soft-serve-ice-cream hybrids, sprinkled with crushed Oreo cookies. "What are these?" Kotone happily took one.

"McFlurries. Basically a milkshake with the McDonald's logo on it." She began eating with what Dani had first thought was a straw but turned out to be a spoon. Dani tasted hers, curious.

"Oh!" Dani licked her lips, pleasantly surprised, and they continued eating in companionable silence until Honda pulled up to Kotone's mansion. Kotone looked over and grinned.

"Ready for the final performance tonight?"

Dani grinned right back. "Absolutely!"

"Awesome! I'll text you later." And with an enormous breath, Kotone burst into real crocodile tears as Honda opened the door, looking completely bewildered. Kotone climbed out, still crying, but quieter and headed up to her house. Dani leaned out the window as the front double doors opened.

"Yeah, go home, run crying to your mother, you little _puta_! You're such a lame date, I can't believe it! All the other girls were cool with my boyfriend, but if you can't handle my sexuality I don't want to see you again! Good riddance! Here!" Dani threw her own finished McFlurry out of the window. "Throw that out for me! That's all you're good for!" And with that, Honda drove away, and Dani rolled up the window.

"Rather harsh, Miss Dani," he remarked. Dani looked forward worriedly.

"Was it? Oh, no! They said be over the top!" she fretted. All the way home she worried she had gone too far until they pulled up to Rosecliff. Confused, Dani pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and looked at it; a text message from Kotone.

_Mom thinks im traumatized! It worked! Thanks a mil, ttyl!_

Dani sighed in relief, and soon fell asleep, dreaming of graceful ice skaters that whisked around her and Mori, Kotone and Hunny hopping on the ice on pogo sticks, dressed as bunnies.

.*.*.*.

The next morning, Dani was pleasantly surprised to be wheeled into the parlor and see Mr. Suoh and Tamaki already in there with her father. Immediately upon seeing them, she smiled.

"Hi, Tamaki! Hi, Mr. Suoh!" She bowed to them. "What are you both doing here?" Takeno wheeled her next to Tamaki who smiled at her.

"I was wondering that myself, actually," he admitted. She laughed and looked to her father and Mr. Suoh. They both looked uncharacteristically serious.

"Tamaki, your grandmother is getting increasingly frustrated with your presence. She's demanding you leave much more insistently now. Mr. Oelrichs and I have been talking, and we have come to a decision," Mr. Suoh began. Dani exchanged panicked looks with Tamaki, and she held his hand tightly, readying herself for bad news. He patted her hand comfortingly, but looked no less nervous.

"For the sake of both our companies and Tamaki's standing in both company and family, Dani, you and Tamaki will start dating, and for all intents and purposes, you're in a romantic relationship together," Oelrichs explained. For a moment all was silent. Then Dani and Tamaki started laughing, letting go of each other's hands in relief.

"You're so funny, Dad! Date Dani! I'm not that gullible, I won't fall for this joke!" Tamaki announced, and Dani snorted with laughter.

"Yes you are, don't try to deny it!" Tamaki curled up into a ball and started rocking back and forth in despair. Dani ignored his temporary emo with practiced ease, but froze at the look on their fathers' faces. Dani elbowed Tamaki, her own smile slidding off her face quickly. "Tamaki, I…I don't think they're joking." Tamaki looked up, looking rather spooked. He laughed weakly again.

"It's…it's just a joke, right Dad? Right?" When Mr. Suoh didn't answer, Tamaki sat up, looking panicked. "Right? Dad? Right?" Oelrichs shook his head.

"We are perfectly serious, Tamaki," he said calmly. Tamaki and Dani burst into desperate pleas.

"Dad, I can't! I'm already dating Mori!"

"Father, she's dating Mori!"

"They'll think we're gay!"

"They'll think we're _gay_!"

"How does this help the companies?"

"The host club revenue and clientele will plummet!"

"I am not kissing him!"

"I am not kissing her!"

"Enough!" Oelrichs roared. Dani shrank back and Tamaki fell silent. "Dani, we owe Mr. Suoh a favor after he so generously offered his time and energy to keep you safe!"

"I thought you wanted to stay in Japan, Tamaki," Suoh added. Tamaki looked torn.

"I do, but not at the risk of losing my friends!" he protested. Oelrichs shook his head.

"We though you two would be a little more considerate and open-minded about this…" he started. Dani screeched loudly, her horrid temper flaring.

"_Considerate and open-minded_? You're telling me to cheat on Takashi Morinozuka, whom I happen to have feelings for!" She yelled, her face red with anger.

"This could ruin all my friendships!" Tamaki protested, looking desperate. Hidalgo skidded into the room and started barking at all the noise. Dani shook her head frantically, her face drawn taut in anger.

"That. Is. Enough," Oelrichs said quietly. The dangerous undertone was not lost on Dani and she shivered, the room suddenly seeming frigid. "Now that is quite enough from you two. You're young, you'll get over it. This is for Tamaki, so that he can finally be recognized as his father's heir."

"You couldn't pick someone else!?" Dani asked desperately. Suoh shook his head.

"Your father's company is extremely key to my own, not to mention you are already seen often with Tamaki. Your first date is this Friday, please be ready," he said, standing. Dani looked at him in horror, Tamaki looking lost.

"You won't get away with sabotaging this one either, Danica, so don't even consider trying," Oelrichs added sternly. Tamaki was as white as a sheet, Dani trembling and clammy. Suoh gestured to Tamaki, and with one last horrified look, Tamaki left. The moment the door closed behind the Suohs, Dani's face turned red with rage.

"_Lei fuori de testa_? I will not go through with this!" she yelled. Oelrichs sat down, rubbing his eyes.

"Dani, I promised him when I approached him for his help that I'd do anything in return. This is his price, and I cannot go back on my word. Tamaki's position in that house is precarious at best. Suoh may be frivolous at first, but he is no fool." Dani didn't answer, she was staring at her cast on her leg, her mind filled with Mori. "I'm sure if you tell Mori what's going on he'll understand. He and Tamaki are friends, and you and he are dating, so—"

"But what if he doesn't?" Dani asked in a whisper, her eyes completely glazed with tears. Oelrichs looked sympathetic and reached out to take her hand. Dani flinched away, not wanting his pity. "T-Takeno? Please, take me back to my room?" She asked quietly, tears falling silently. She didn't look back at her father as she was wheeled out of the room, and once she was back in her bedroom, everything went blessedly black as she fainted.

**Hi! Hello! I'm back! I am so so so so so sorry for my uber long hiatus, life decided to kick me in the butt and then chew me up and spit me out, then stomp all over me, then have its dog crap on me. But I'm back with a vengeance and I'll have more updates and chapters for you! Promise.**

**Anyway, DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUN PLOT TWIST! Please leave a review telling me what you think will happen and more importantly, how you think Mori is going to react! I'm super excited to see what you guys think!**

**Also, ****Selestyna Arpa364**** updated her beautiful story **_**Short**_** where Dani is guest starring! Go take a look and leave her a review!**

…**God I've missed you gaiz…cookies and hugs for all!**

**Until next time, you sweet little cupcakes, you!**

**~La Principessa Dell'Opera**

**P.S.**

**¿Por qué están ustedes me despierta tan temprano? Son las ocho de la mañana- Why are you guys waking me up so early? It's 8 o'clock in the morning. (Spanish)**

**Non lo so-I don't know. (Italian)**

**Che?- What? (Italian)**

**Orale, ragazzi- Hey guys! (Orale is Spanish, ragazzi is Italian)**

**Es verdad- It's true. (Spanish)**

**M-me llamo D-Dani, y yo—M-my name is D-Dani, and I'm— (Spanish)**

**Mi piaciono le tue scarpe- I like your shoes! (Italian)**

**¿En serio?- Seriously? (Spanish)**

**Pardonnez-moi, mademoiselle- Excuse me, miss. (French)**

**Bruja- witch (Spanish)**

**Fabuloso- fabulous (Spanish and Italian)**

**Fier-chay- Spelled **_**fierce**_** like in English, but pronounced the Italian way (feer-CHAY). A silly expression and pronunciation for the same word which means it's the same thing.**

**Mi amor- my love (Spanish)**

**¡Por favor, mi amigo mejor!- Literally: please, best friend! The way Dani means it: pretty please, bestest best friend? (Spanish)**

**Puta- slut, whore, bitch, etc. Swear word and insult against a woman. DO NOT USE IN POLITE CONVERSATION! (Spanish)**

**Lei fuori de testa?- Have you lost your mind? (Italian)**


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